The Danish cargo and passenger shipping company DFDS, along with a cross-section of industry stakeholders, applied for EU support for the development of a new electricity-powered cruiseferry.
The ship, which will initially operate on the Norway-Denmark route Oslo- Frederikshavn-Copenhagen, will be powered by electricity from a hydrogen fuel cell system emitting only H2O (water) and able to generate max power output 23 MW. The hydrogen will be produced by a projected offshore wind energy-powered electrolyzer plant in Greater Copenhagen.
According to DFDS, the vessel will reduce annual CO2 emissions by about 64,000 tonnes.
Torben Carlsen, DFDS' CEO, said:
‘The largest fuel cell systems today produce only 1-5 MW, and the development of such large-scale fuel cell installations for an electric ferry is a monumental task.
‘We can only succeed in partnership with companies that bring together some of the globe’s finest expertise in design, approval, building, financing and operation of innovative vessels.’
The partnership that is committed to developing the new ferry includes DFDS, Ballard Power Systems Europe, ABB, Hexagon Purus, Lloyd’s Register, KNUD HANSEN (design), Orsted and Danish Ship Finance.
The new partnership applied for support from the EU Innovation Fund. In case the project develops as projected, the ferry (suggested name Europa Seaways) could commence full operation on the Oslo-Frederikshavn-Copenhagen route, or elsewhere, as early as 2027.