New hydrogen fuel cell ready hybrid ferries coming to Hamburg

The three new vessels are on order for HADAG, the ferry operator for the city. HADAG, the ferry operator for the German city of Hamburg, has announced that all three hybrid vessels are being designed to be hydrogen fuel cell ready. The goal is to ensure that the vessels will be ready for future zero-emissions operation. The fuel cell ready ferries are on order at the SET (Schiffbau- u. Entwicklungsgesellschaft Tangermünd) shipyard located in Tangermünd, Germany. They will each feature Danfoss Power Solutions drivetrain systems from the Editron division. The passenger ferry service in the cit…

The three new vessels are on order for HADAG, the ferry operator for the city.

HADAG, the ferry operator for the German city of Hamburg, has announced that all three hybrid vessels are being designed to be hydrogen fuel cell ready.

The goal is to ensure that the vessels will be ready for future zero-emissions operation.

The fuel cell ready ferries are on order at the SET (Schiffbau- u. Entwicklungsgesellschaft Tangermünd) shipyard located in Tangermünd, Germany. They will each feature Danfoss Power Solutions drivetrain systems from the Editron division. The passenger ferry service in the city is a core component of its overall public transportation system. It has eight routes which make stops along 20 different piers. About 9 million passengers use the ferries every year. As the city is seeking to decarbonize its transportation sector, its fleet of ferries will play a notable role in that effort. According to the city’s estimates (from 2018), its transportation sector produced about 29 percent of its total emissions. Hamburg is one of the cities in the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance aiming to achieve a 55 percent carbon emissions reduction by 2030. It must also achieve a minimum 95 percent reduction in those emissions by 2050.

The hydrogen fuel cell ready ferries will help to ensure public transport is already reducing emissions.

“These vessels will be designed to ensure safe operation in Hamburg’s city center, which includes making multiple stops every hour and navigating the tidal conditions of the Elbe River,” said Martin Lobmeyer, HADAG technical director. “They will also efficiently utilize the hybrid-electric propulsion technology while driving at full speed and berthing throughout the whole harbor area.”[aweber listid="6179904" formid="497551345" formtype="webform"] All three of the hydrogen fuel cell ready ferries will be equipped with serial hybrid propulsion systems. These will include drivetrains the Editron division of Danfoss has both designed and manufactured. The drivetrain brings together shore connection, battery storage, and AC network feeding power module propulsion. Their connection is established via a compact DC link using unique and patented selectivity to ensure high system safety. naValue, the naval architect firm from Flensburg specializing in ferry design and consultancy, created the concept design upon which the ferries are being built.