First German electric sea-going vessel approved

AG Reederei Norden-Frisia, which operates ferry services from northwest Germany to the Frisian Islands, has been sailing the North Sea for 150 years in various ways.

Its aluminium E-Kat, built by Damen Shipyards at its Polish facility in Koźle, has two propellers driven by two 600kW electric motors and two 75kW electric bow thrusters.

At 32.3 metres long, it can take 150 passengers the 11km journey to Nordeney in just 30 minutes, half the time of its predecessor, the operator says.

“Due to the design, the E-Kat has a draught of only 1.2 metres and can therefore reach the island quickly even at low water levels,” said Captain Stephan Ulrichs, who supervised the build for AG Reederei Norden-Frisia.

To fulfil its task of running between Nordeney and Norddeich eight times a day, a 9m loading pontoon was delivered to Norddeich, where the charging will take place, taking about 28 minutes. It has been tested and charging has been done at a full power of 1,800kW.

Some of the electricity is generated by solar panels on top of car parks, where a battery has also been installed to store any surplus.

“The aim is to be able to supply even more alternatively powered watercraft in the future,” said technical inspector Michael Garrelts.