ABB has secured a large order from the Polish shipbuilder Remontowa Shiprepair Yard to supply integrated power, automation and propulsion solutions to three large passenger and car ferries to operate in the Baltic Sea.
The 195m ferries will each have capacity for up to 400 passengers and 200 trucks and will be delivered to the Polish ferry company Polskie Promy one apiece in 2025, 2026 and 2027.
The Baltic Sea has some of the densest maritime traffic in the world, with about 2,000 large ships sailing in its waters at any given time . The IMO has designated the Baltic Sea as an Emission Control Area with stricter controls to minimise the environmental impact from ships. Increased electrification and energy efficiency will play an important role in helping decarbonise maritime transport. As the foundation for ship electrification, electrical propulsion allows the full integration of power systems and equipment on board, offering significant gains in safety, efficiency and sustainability for the new ferries.
Each of the ferries will be equipped with two 7.5MW Azipod electric propulsion units that will help achieve a high degree of manoeuvrability and efficiency in harbour operations. Azipod technology has ability to cut fuel consumption by up to 20% compared to traditional propulsion. Independent research indicates that Azipod propulsion offers fuel and emissions savings for ferries which could amount to nearly US$ 1.7m and 10,000t of CO2 emissions per ship per year.
By integrating multi-fuel engines with battery power, ABB’s Power and Energy Management System (PEMS) balances the use of the different energy sources onboard, enabling further gains in operational efficiency and reducing emissions as a result. Conventionally, a ship approaching port engages an extra engine as a failsafe back-up, which is sub-optimal in terms of fuel efficiency. The hybrid solution uses batteries to provide this redundancy. Integrated power is so responsive that larger ferries can achieve equivalent performance using lower installed power than that required by comparable ships, ensuring reduced emissions in any circumstances.
The three ferries will also utilise ABB’s shipside shore connection to access plug-in shore power, enabling further emission reductions, as well as benefit from remote equipment monitoring and diagnostics for enhanced passenger and ship safety.
Bartosz Znyk, Project Director, Remontowa, said: “With ABB, we have full confidence that all systems will be seamlessly integrated for maximum operational efficiency and sustainability. In addition, the ease of installing Azipod units significantly increases build efficiency and flexibility in project scheduling, supporting our shipbuilding process.”
Juha Koskela, Division President, ABB Marine & Ports, said: “We take great pride in our collaboration with Remontowa and are delighted to support them in their strategy for environmentally friendly ferries. This project presented us with an excellent opportunity to showcase our abilities as a single system, bridge-to-propeller integration provider.”
According to ABB, demand for Azipod propulsion continues to grow in the global ferry industry, which carries around 4bn passengers, 370m vehicles every year. Azipod technology offers 360-degree rotation of podded propulsors, increased reliability, reduced vibrations and more lane metres for vehicles onboard due to the location of the system outside the hull.
