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DNV on decarbonizing ferries: Technological innovation and electrification

Recent technological innovations in the ferry industry have focused on electrification and battery power; DNV presents three key technologies driving the decarbonization of ferries.

Published

3 years ago

November 24, 2023

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DNV on decarbonizing ferries: Technological innovation and electrification

Classification society DNV on Thursday (16 November) released a Maritime Impact report on the decarbonization of ferries. The following is excerpts from the article:

As shipping examines a range of options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, recent technological innovations in the ferry industry have focused on electrification and battery power. DNV presents three key technologies driving the decarbonization of ferries.

With IMO decarbonization targets becoming more ambitious, and social and political pressure building, each sector of the maritime industry needs to examine the most practical and cost-efficient ways of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. For ferries, electrification and battery power are high on the agenda.

Electrification and battery power perfect fit for ferries

“Ferries are the perfect segment for electrification and battery power,” says Hans Eivind Siewers, Segment Director of Passenger Ships and RoRo at DNV. “Short, regular routes between the same ports makes it easier to charge regularly and reduces the need for large batteries.”

Three new technologies have emerged in recent years which are expected to have an impact on the ferries market. For all, the development has been facilitated by recent technological developments, most notably improvements in the energy density of batteries. Two of these innovations are based on hydrofoiling, an established technology which is making a comeback due to energy efficiency gains.

Hydrofoiling: Back to the future with Fast Foil Ferry

Hydrofoil technology – where a foil lifts the vessel up from the water as it gathers speed – was popular in the 1970s due to passenger comfort and high speeds, but this was eventually sidelined due to poor fuel and energy consumption. However, over the past few years, advancements in high strength and lightweight composite materials, gains in hydrofoiling technology and – most importantly – increases in the energy density of batteries have reopened the door to this technology.

Collaborative innovation: Developing a fully electric Fast Foil Ferry

In 2020, Kitsap Transit (a public transit agency serving Kitsap County, Washington, part of the Seattle metropolitan area), Foil Ferry LLC (a collaboration between Anacortes-based Bieker Boats and Seattle naval architecture firm Glosten) and Washington Maritime Blue received a Federal Transit Administration innovation grant to develop a proof-of-concept design for a fully electric Fast Foil Ferry. This has led to the delivery of a preliminary design for a high-speed hydrofoil passenger ferry, aided by DNV-led studies around shoreside infrastructure and permitting requirements and economic and environmental impacts.

Decarbonization just one advantage of Fast Foil Ferry

“These ferries use around one-third of the energy of conventional fast ferries and have zero local emissions,” says Cassidy Fisher, Programme Director of Washington Maritime Blue, which is coordinating the Fast Foil Ferry project. “They produce negligible waves as the hulls fly above the water’s surface. This is important for protecting sensitive shorelines such as those along Rich Passage, Washington, which makes up a significant portion of the Bremerton–Seattle route.”

With a cruising speed of 30 knots (around 55 km/h), the ferries have a range of about 30 nautical miles. This means they will be able to complete one full round trip on the proposed Bremerton to Seattle commuter route without recharging.

Financial benefits make the business case for Fast Foil Ferry

Besides the extensive list of advantages, including reduced motion compared to non-foiling hulls, providing passengers with a more comfortable ride, reduced noise, and the hope that increased ferry traffic will result in fewer cars on the roads of Washington State, the Fast Foil Ferry will also deliver significant savings to its operators.

“We have estimated a 35% reduction in annual operating costs compared to conventional diesel-powered ferries, mainly due to energy savings, although this depends on the price of diesel,” continues Fisher. “Alongside the decarbonization benefits, this is a strong business case and removes any significant barriers to further development.”

The project is aiming to secure another USD 4 million in federal funding so it can advance and complete the design development stage, while full-scale trials, construction and deployment, and the development of shoreside infrastructure will require another USD 18 million in funding.

From LNG to battery power

In Uruguay, ferry operator Buquebus is preparing to start operating the largest battery-powered ship in the world. Currently under construction at Tasmania-based shipbuilder Incat, the 130-metre ship will have a battery capacity of over 40 MWh, almost four times the capacity of any battery-powered vessel constructed before.

Following the success of the DNV-classed HSC Francisco Papa, Incat’s first LNG vessel delivered to Buquebus in 2013, the new DNV-classed vessel was originally planned to run on LNG. This was switched to electric/battery propulsion after Robert Clifford, founder of Incat, showed Buquebus his plans for a new electric/battery-powered ship.

“Our President Mr. Lopez Mena asked Incat if it was possible to use the electric propulsion on our future vessel,” explains Gerardo Babini, Technical Manager, Buquebus. “After a couple of weeks of weight and speed calculations, Incat came back to us and said it would be possible.”

The future of ferries is battery-powered

While the Buquebus ferry is very different in design to the two hydrofoil vessels, all of these technologies showcase the key role that electrical/battery power can play in the decarbonization of shipping. This is likely to increase, particularly in the ferry industry, as battery technology develops even further.

“These technologies are all extremely exciting and impressive, but we can expect so much more from battery power over the next ten years,” says Hans Eivind Siewers. “Improvements in density will extend ranges, opening up longer routes and reducing the reliance on scarce carbon-neutral fuels. This will contribute greatly to shipping’s quest to reach net-zero by 2050.

Note: DNV’s full Maritime Impact report on ‘Decarbonizing ferries: Technological innovation and electrification’ can be found here.

Photo credit: DNV / Incat Tasmania
Published: 24 November, 2023

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WK NatPower expands inland shipping electrification drive into Jiangsu

WK NatPower and Jiangsu Port Investment will strengthen collaboration across the maritime, port and clean energy sectors, bringing together expertise in shipping, port infrastructure and electrification technologies.

Published

2 days ago

September 3, 2026

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WK NatPower expands inland shipping electrification drive into Jiangsu

Wah Kwong NatPower (WK NatPower) on Wednesday (2 September) said it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Jiangsu Port Group Investment Management Co Ltd (Jiangsu Port Investment), a wholly owned subsidiary of Jiangsu Port Group, at the Jiangsu International Maritime Conference in Nanjing.

The company said the MoU strengthens collaboration across the maritime, port and clean energy sectors, bringing together expertise in shipping, port infrastructure and electrification technologies.

As China’s leading province for inland waterway transport, with the country’s largest inland waterway network, Jiangsu plays a critical role in the nation’s shipping and logistics system.

“The partnership represents a strategic step in WK NatPower’s China strategy,” the company said in a statement.

Building on the momentum of its Zhejiang projects, WK NatPower is extending its footprint further into one of the country’s most significant inland shipping areas. By leveraging the strengths of their respective parent companies, Jiangsu Port Group, Wah Kwong Maritime Transport and NatPower, the parties will also establish a cooperation mechanism to explore opportunities for deeper collaboration and enhance the complementary use of global maritime and port resources.

From a technological perspective, WK NatPower is evolving from individual charging infrastructure towards integrated energy systems combining charging, battery storage and battery-swapping solutions capable of serving a broader range of operational scenarios.

By combining the international experience and global network of WK NatPower and its partner NatPower Marine, with Jiangsu Port Group’s local resources and project delivery capabilities, the partnership will promote coordinated regional development.

It also demonstrates WK NatPower’s commitment to the electrification of China’s inland waterway transport sector.

Photo credit: Wah Kwong NatPower
Published: 3 September, 2026

Battery

Port electrification could cut 10% of international shipping emissions, study finds

Finding offered hope that the 10% of international shipping emissions which occur within port areas, can be effectively mitigated via electrification technologies such as cold ironing at berth.

Published

5 days ago

August 31, 2026

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UCL Shipping and Oceans Research Group on Thursday (27 August) said new research has suggested that 10% of international shipping emissions occur within port areas globally.

The finding offered hope that these emissions can be effectively mitigated via electrification technologies such as cold ironing at berth, switching to battery electric propulsion whilst idling or manoeuvring at port and converting vessels engaged with short-sea routes to battery-operated electric vessels.

Presented as an interactive tool on the UCL Shipping and Oceans Research Group website, the ‘Shipping GHG Emissions Explorer’ aims to improve the evidence base supporting IMO negotiations due to resume next week on the adoption of the Net Zero Framework (NZF).

Built using a dataset of 1.2 million voyages undertaken by over 43,000 unique vessels across a single year, the tool offers IMO delegations visibility on which of 575 million tonnes of CO2e emissions generated by international shipping can be attributed to their country’s economic activity.

James Stewart, Research Fellow in the Analytics of Energy and Transport at the UCL Shipping and Oceans Research Group, said: “Although imperfect, AIS-centred big data approaches have revolutionised our ability to understand key trends in the energy demands and GHG emissions associated with international shipping activity. The tool offers users the chance to benefit from this unprecedented clarity by downloading aggregate data directly from the platform, where interested parties are encouraged to explore and validate available statistics with any complementary datasets they may have access to.”

The tool offers energy demand and GHG emission statistics during port and voyage phases alongside disaggregation possibilities by vessel type, port and maritime trade partner, enabling users to explore key trends in international shipping activity. Future updates to the tool slated for release in September will provide users with additional statistics on state-level seaborne trade volumes and potential economic impacts of the proposed amendments to the IMO NZF ahead of their potential for adoption later in the year.

Yoseph Ismail, Research Assistant at the UCL Shipping and Oceans Research Group, said: “Having the ability to breakdown international voyages by their ‘In port’ and ‘In voyage’ emissions has given us significant insight into what benefits electrification in port could bring. Our granular approach has allowed us to discover key trends in the country data.

“For instance, 7 out of 10 countries in Latin America/Caribbean and 8 out of 10 in East Asia Pacific that have the highest in port emissions are small island nations. These countries emissions, are all well above global and regional averages, and often above 20%. Further analysis into the reasons for this could go a long way towards finding the most cost-effective solutions to bring down emissions.”

Note: The Shipping GHG Emissions Explorer can be found here.

Photo credit: Chris Pagan on Unsplash
Published: 31 August, 2026

Alternative Fuels

Baltic Workboats delivers biomethane-powered multi-purpose workboat

“KRATT” is Estonia’s first large workboat to use biomethane as its primary fuel and is also equipped with a 400 kWh battery bank for electric propulsion.

Published

2 weeks ago

August 19, 2026

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Baltic Workboats delivers biomethane-powered multi-purpose workboat

Baltic Workboats recently said a new 38-metre multi-purpose workboat, KRATT, built for the Estonian State Fleet, has been christened at its Nasva shipyard in Saaremaa on 12 August.

KRATT is Estonia’s first large workboat to use biomethane as its primary fuel and is also equipped with a 400 kWh battery bank for electric propulsion.

On biomethane, the vessel can travel up to 1,000 nautical miles at a speed of seven knots. On battery power, it can operate for up to two hours at five knots. The battery bank also allows the vessel to use electric power for up to ten hours while at anchor, reducing the need to run auxiliary engines as well as fuel consumption, emissions and noise levels.

From autumn, the vessel will carry out a wide range of maritime tasks in Estonian waters, from buoy handling and fairway maintenance to marine research, pollution response and rescue operations.

According to Andres Laasma, Director General of the Estonian State Fleet, the gradual renewal of the state-owned fleet is essential to ensure the country’s ability to carry out its maritime duties.

“Our main workboats today are on average 30-40 years old, and maintaining their reliability is becoming more difficult and costly year by year. The new workboat KRATT will help ease this situation, as it is a multi-purpose vessel capable of performing a wide range of tasks,” Laasma said.

KRATT is the first major workboat ordered by the state in the past ten years.

Photo credit: Baltic Workboats
Published: 19 August, 2026