electrification

SPECIAL REPORTS

SPECIAL REPORTS

European ports are electrifying, but their focus on large vessels is leaving harbour tugs behind, writes Grace Waters. The slow-charging infrastructure struggles to meet the rapid, high-power needs of these essential workhorses. Such a gap, combined with indirect pressures from customers and…

By By Grace Waters · 10th September 2026

Fractured future: Harbour tugs face unprecedented challenges

By By Grace Waters · 10th September 2026

EQUIPMENT

EQUIPMENT

Stillstrom by Maersk has demonstrated an automated cable-control system designed to allow hybrid and electric offshore wind vessels to charge while maintaining position on dynamic positioning (DP).

17th August 2026

Stillstrom reveals fully automated offshore charging cable

17th August 2026

VESSELS

VESSELS

Set to be the largest battery-electric ferries in Europe, three ferries are taking shape at Incat Tasmania’s shipyard in Australia.

3rd July 2026

WATCH: Rollback completed for largest battery ferries in Europe

3rd July 2026

EQUIPMENT

EQUIPMENT

The Port of Klaipėda has taken delivery of three new electric and hybrid vessels as part of a drive to modernise its fleet and cut emissions, with Dutch battery specialist EST-Floattech supplying…

3rd June 2026

​Electric pilot boats and waste tanker delivered to Lithuanian port

3rd June 2026

VESSELS

VESSELS

UK firms Aqua superPower and Seawork exhibitor Tidal Transit have formed a partnership aimed at supporting the electrification of crew transfer operations serving offshore infrastructure, including wind farms.

19th May 2026

Partnership targets offshore CTV charging boost

19th May 2026

VESSELS

VESSELS

A new study by Kongsberg Maritime has identified several European ferry routes as strong candidates for fully electric RoPax vessels, pointing to growing economic and regulatory support for electrification in short sea…

19th May 2026

Kongsberg study identifies ferry routes for electric RoPaxes

19th May 2026

EVENTS

EVENTS

Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez officially opened WindEurope’s annual event in Madrid this week, echoing calls from multiple speakers on the first day to speed up the development of on and offshore wind…

22nd April 2026

Spanish PM opens WindEurope 2026 on a war footing

22nd April 2026

INDUSTRY NEWS

INDUSTRY NEWS

Global ship classification body RINA (Registro Italiano Navale) has pledged to work with the South Korean group Hanwha on greater adoption of advanced battery-hybrid propulsion systems in the maritime sector.

9th April 2026

RINA signs MOU to promote battery-hybrid propulsion

9th April 2026

VESSELS

VESSELS

Wärtsilä will deliver a fully integrated electric propulsion system for a third Danish ferry, including waterjets, for three high-speed catamaran ferries for Denmark.

29th January 2026

Wärtsilä to deliver electric propulsion for a third Danish ferry

29th January 2026

INDUSTRY NEWS

INDUSTRY NEWS

WindEurope, the association that brings together stakeholders on the continent in on and offshore wind, said electrification was stagnating in Europe while competitors such as China and the US ‘are surging ahead’.

3rd November 2025

‘Europe is falling behind’ – WindEurope reacts to Dutch wind auction blow

3rd November 2025

MARINE CONSTRUCTION

MARINE CONSTRUCTION

Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK has played a central role in the £2.4 billion (€2.75 billion) NeuConnect project, a landmark renewable energy interconnector between the UK and Germany.

17th September 2025

Jones Bros powers UK-Germany energy link

17th September 2025

VESSELS

VESSELS

Damen Shipyards Group has signed a contract with Port Marlborough New Zealand (PMNZ) to deliver a newbuild tug for Picton Harbour operations.

2nd July 2025

Sustainable tug upgrade for New Zealand port

2nd July 2025

TUGS & SALVAGE

TUGS & SALVAGE

With a natural degree of industry caution, partial or total propulsive power from batteries for shiphandling tugs is attracting increasing interest as the technology matures on the back of far greater volume…

5th June 2025

SPOTLIGHT: Electric tugs on the charge

5th June 2025

VESSELS

VESSELS

ABB is set to expand its marine electrification capabilities with the acquisition of French power electronics firm BrightLoop.

21st May 2025

ABB expands its marine electrification capabilities

21st May 2025

VESSELS

VESSELS

SAAM Towage is teaming up with Caterpillar Marine to explore and implement alternative power solutions for its tug fleet.

9th April 2025

SAAM and Caterpillar team up on alternative power

9th April 2025

VESSELS

VESSELS

Candela has raised an additional $14M in funding which will help scale production of its P-12 electric ferry to meet growing global demand.

25th November 2024

Candela funding to scale up electric ferry production

25th November 2024

MARINE CONSTRUCTION

MARINE CONSTRUCTION

Bakker Sliedrecht has secured a contract with Jan de Nul Group to deliver an innovative plug-in hybrid power plant for the company’s first 2,000 m³ trailing suction hopper dredger.

23rd September 2024

Jan de Nul’s hybrid hopper dredger electrical package

23rd September 2024

EQUIPMENT

EQUIPMENT

Ship refurbishers have given a 20-year-old multi-purpose offshore vessel at least another two decades of operations in what they are calling an extensive mid-life upgrade ‘amid increasing appetite for retrofits versus newbuilds’.

4th June 2024

ACEL sees opportunities in retrofit market

4th June 2024

VESSELS

VESSELS

The Swedish Transport Administration, Trafikverket, is currently electrifying many ferries as part of its Vision 45 plan for a climate-neutral ferry service by 2045.

28th February 2024

Sweden works to electrify its ferry routes

28th February 2024

ENVIRONMENT

ENVIRONMENT

SolarDuck has secured €15 million additional funding for the development and deployment of its offshore floating solar power technology setting it on a path to deliver its first commercial projects.

3rd January 2024

Offshore floating solar tech on route to commerciality

3rd January 2024