How to select your supplier

Despite local tax and market incentives, the fact is that you can’t simply replace your diesel propulsion-system with some batteries and an electric motor.

Electric and hybrid solutions in the maritime sector require a new set of considerations and design principles for your vessel or fleet. Furthermore, class societies are still establishing safety regulations, standards, and certifications. But our emissions must go down, and despite some limitations, electric solutions are the way forward.

Although it’s a global issue, reduction of these emissions starts with local solutions. Local governments should help drive the development and implementation of low to zero emission power solutions with the means they have available. The private sector also plays an important role adopting zero-emission solutions and adapting their operational model to this new technology

Therefore, we strive to inform and educate on the technology available today, as well as emerging products, within hybrid and electric solutions at sea. This keeps us at BOS Power on our toes and able to provide the very best of tailored vessels, optimized for efficiency and lower emissions. It also contributes to build a knowledge base for realistic and pragmatic policy making in the future.

The future is electric and even though both the technology, regulatory bodies, and the industry must mature into this new paradigm, we are more than optimistic for what the future holds.

The sustainable solutions that we implement today are crucial for the environmental challenges we face, but also lay the foundation of new business models, industries, and services.

Your supplier should be aware of available charging infrastructure, and able to advise on its viability for your operation.

First off, fuel (diesel) infrastructure have been built out for over a century. Operators of diesel vessels rarely have to consider this. These vessels normally require a refill once a week and the worst case scenario is a tank truck driven down to the pier.

When it comes to hybrid and electric vessels, the question becomes faceted. And its not only a question of having a charging system, or if the ship’s operational profile accomodates the required charging time. Whether the port, or even region has the grid capacity to deliver the required charging power is a much bigger challenge and a showstopper for many operators.

As you can build a charging station at the pier, constructing high-voltage infrastructure is a another thing altogether.

For vessels that only need overnight charging it’s less of a challenge. The “trickle charge” required can be facilitated at most locations. However, fully electric fast ferries, sailing high frequency routes, require (high power) fast charging multiple times a day.

You won’t find dedicated megawatt capacity everywhere. Therefore, it’s important to do the research of the options in the region of operation, especially if operating high frequency routes and/or far from urban centers.

There are solutions available even under these conditions. If your vessel requires fast-charging where the grid’s capacity is insufficient, you find one example in Gudvangen, Norway. Here, an operator of an electric sightseeing vessel installed a “Powerdock”. This is a floating barge with a battery bank, slowly charged by the available grid. This power could then be rapidly dumped onto a docked vessel’s batteries, meeting the challenge of limited grid capacity. It also doubles as a depot for the ship’s black/gray water, which is then sent to an onshore sewage treatment plant.

It is important to be forward looking and consider more stringent regulations and fees on harmful emissions.

Intially you may only consider this an aspect for tourist markets benefitting from a silent, odour-free ride in scenic environments. However, considering your emissions and it’s importance, is not even a question in this guide.

Tendencies are showing that the market forces influence and affect operators in terms of their environmental impact. Even the loudest deniers of climate change have taken a step back, and there is no denying that a green shift is progressing worldwide. This resonates through the whole capital chain of marine industries. Public opinion is clear. Banks and financial institutions will be hesitant to provide loans and funding to organisations not considerate of their environmental impact. Governments are less like likely to grant contracts and/or concessions to operations on the same sentiment. Passengers and clients are also less likely to choose what is perceived as a “dirty” option.

It is something we can count on becoming even more prevalent. Fossil energy has been engrained into every industry over the last century and will not be substituted easily. We therefore do what we can. A focus on “doing what we can” involves more stringent regulations and fees on harmful emissions, where they can be applied. More so as time goes on and the global temperature goes up.

Today, some city centres of Europe, like Brussels, do not allow diesel vehicles above a certain emission threshold to enter. This has in turn an impact on the second-hand market. It is not unlikely we will see similar regulations implemented at sea routes and waterways in the future. This has an impact on the bottom line today, as well as the second hand value of your vessel in the future.