What is the largest battery system installed on a ship?

With more than 40 MWh of energy storage, it will be the largest battery system installed onboard a ship – four times as big as the current largest installation. Incat shipyard in Tasmania will build the aluminum-constructed vessel on behalf of its South American customer, Buquebus.

How do battery containers work?

The battery containers are installed on a 104 TEU inland waterway container vessel, which has been modified to allow two units to be mounted onboard. The system enables the vessel to operate on full electric power alone, with no carbon emissions being generated. The energy capacity is equivalent to that of approximately 36 electric passenger cars.

Can a swappable battery power inland waterway vessels?

Current Direct is demonstrating a swappable battery solution for powering inland waterway vessels, with one or more lithium-ion batteries installed in a swappable container, or e-house.

What happened to a hybrid-electric ferry in Norway?

Last year, a small fire in the battery room of a hybrid-electric ferry in Norway resulted in an explosion. The ferry operator was able to evacuate passengers and crew to land before the explosion, but a similar event on a cargo ship in the middle of the ocean could be catastrophic.

What type of batteries do ferries typically use?

Ferries often use lithium nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) batteries, which is the same conventional lithium-ion chemistry found in most consumer electronics and electric vehicles. The company's energy system, currently installed on about 20 ferries and tugboats worldwide, uses this type of battery.

How many batteries does a cargo ship need?

It requires 90 Tesla Model S battery packs, which is enough for short trips of up to 30 nautical miles while carrying 3,200 tons of cargo. However, to meet the energy demands of massive international cargo ships, which carry tens of thousands of tons of cargo and use dozens of gigawatt-hours of energy, we’re going to need more advanced batteries.