Two workboats line up for battery power

It will work with Dutch maritime electrical company Gebhard Electro on the projects, the first of which is a new TSHD1000 trailing suction hopper dredger being built by Damen Shipyards in the Netherlands for UK Dredging, part of Associated British Ports.

The vessel will use diesel-electric propulsion combined with an energy storage system. AYK is supplying a 318kWh liquid-cooled Polaris battery system, while Gebhard Electro will carry out the electrical installation and system integration.

The battery will be among the first liquid-cooled Polaris systems installed by AYK since the platform received DNV type approval. Liquid cooling is intended to provide controlled thermal management under the high and variable loads associated with marine propulsion and charging.

Rotterdam patrol vessel

The second project involves the 1640kWh PiscesA+ battery system that will be installed as part of the conversion of the Port of Rotterdam’s patrol vessel RPA 8 from hybrid to fully electric propulsion. Gebhard Electro will integrate the battery and associated electrical systems into the existing vessel.

The retrofit is intended to allow the vessel to operate without combustion-engine propulsion during normal operations, supporting the port’s target of reducing emissions from its operational fleet.

AYK founder Chris Kruger said the projects demonstrate the increasing use of battery systems in both newbuild and retrofit applications.

“Workboat operators can see the value that battery power can deliver for inland waterways and coastal vessels – performance, cost, safety and the reduction of carbon emissions,” he said. “The cost of batteries is reducing and the technology is evolving, delivering greater efficiencies.”

Other corroboration

The two projects add to a series of workboat applications developed by AYK and Gebhard.

These include the fully electric inland maintenance vessel VOLTA for Martens en Van Oord, fitted with a 2.2MWh Aries+ battery system, and Boluda Towage’s hybrid tug VB KRACHT, which uses an 82kWh Orion system.

The projects illustrate two different applications for marine batteries: providing energy storage alongside diesel-electric propulsion on a new dredger, and replacing conventional propulsion in a retrofit.

Gebhard Electro, based in Oosterhout, specialises in electrical engineering, automation and system integration for newbuild, retrofit and conversion projects.

AYK was founded in 2018 and supplies battery systems for marine and other applications.