Spanish ferry operator, Baleària has confirmed details of two electric zero emissions fast ferries being built to operate on the first green corridor between Spain and Morocco.
They will operate on the Tarifa/Tangier Ville route under a contract awarded Baleària by the Bay of Algeciras Port Authority last December, prioritising sustainability and innovation in the route’s management for the next 15 years.
The public/private project includes the construction of two ships at the Armon Shipyard, Gijon, over the coming two and a half years, as well as shore power at the ports with the fitting of battery recharging systems.
“This is a pioneering and technologically advanced public/private project that will enable us, for the first time ever, to run the entire route using only electric energy and, therefore, zero emissions,” claimed Baleària’s President, Adolfo Utor, in a presentation given at the recent Madrid FITUR tourism trade fair.
“The port authority laid the foundations for this project, which is in line with our innovation and sustainability values. We are taking on the challenge of turning the Tarifa/Tangier Ville line into an example of mobility, modernity and international sustainability,” he said.
Each ferry will have 16 MW of electric power installed, including four battery powered 11,500 kW electric propulsion units to enable the vessels to make the 18-mile trip utilising electric power, thus emissions-free.
However, the ferries will also be fitted with four diesel emergency generators, with a total capacity of 11,200 kW.
The ships’ batteries need to be fully recharged during the one-hour stopover at each of the ports. To undertake this, 8 MWh gross batteries will be installed at both ports, which will be added to the shore power supply – 5 MW in Tarifa and 8 MW in Tangier.
The charging will be carried out by two autonomous robotic arms installed at each port, which will be connected to the ship via the ship’s OPS (onshore power system) connection.
“This innovative system will allow us to recharge the batteries needed for the route in just 40 minutes,” Utor claimed.
Between the on board and shore systems, the total battery capacity will be 39 MWh gross (equivalent to around 765 electric cars).
Utor added that this is “a public-private project, with a Spanish shipping company, shipyard and financier, which also involves the participation of benchmark national and international companies in the fields of engineering and energy, including Cotenaval, Endesa, Amendis and Incat Crowther.”
Their design was said to be similar to that of Baleària’s two LNG fuelled fast ferries, the Incat Crowther designed ’Eleanor Roosevelt’ and ’Margarita Salas’ (also built at Gijon), optimised for operation at Tarifa and Tangier Ville.
With a length of 87 m, they will have a beam of 25 m, a capacity for 804 pax and 225 cars, and a maximum speed of 26 knots.
In addition to being equipped with a wide range of services, passenger comfort will also be aided by a T-Foil hull system design to help reduce vertical movements.
