Damen Shipyards impresses again in January when it hands over Germany's first fully electric catamaran ferry (e-cat) to its operator, AG Reederei Norden-Frisia. The ship can carry up to 150 passengers and will operate in the East Frisian Wadden Sea.
Built at Damen shipyards in Poland and the Netherlands, the catamaran has two propellers, each powered by a 600 kW electric motor. In view of the shallow waterways, it was designed with two hulls with a draught of just 1.2 metres. The aluminium hulls and the superstructure, which is also made of aluminium, ensure a low ship weight, enabling a speed of up to 12 knots.
Keel laying of the e-catamaran at Damen shipyard in Poland. Photo: Shipping company Norden Frisia
The 32-metre-long electric catamaran is designed for a thirty-minute interval (journey time) and there will be just under half an hour available for boarding and disembarking at the pier. Passengers will be offered an uninterrupted view of the world's largest Wadden Sea system and UNESCO World Heritage Site during the journey thanks to oversized windows.
The shipping company has long been committed to sustainable operations between the islands and the first all-electric ferry is part of a programme to achieve the lowest possible emissions. The e-cat ferry is CO2-neutral in operation and also when charging the batteries via solar cells on land.
The newbuild is due to start sailing at the beginning of the Easter holidays in 2025 and will travel up to eight times a day between its home port of Norddeich and the North Sea island of Norderney.
kdk, SWZ Maritim
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