Damen Shipyards Group has delivered five Damen Ferries 2306 E3 to Arriva Denmark in Copenhagen. Arriva is operating the vessels on behalf of Danish public transport agency Movia. The vessels are based on Damen’s E3 philosophy – environmentally friendly, efficient in operation and economically viable.

Towards a zero emissions future

When Movia issued the public tender for waterborne public transport in Copenhagen, its aim was to upgrade the service, making it cleaner and more sustainable. In this the agency was aligned with both Arriva, which embraces innovation in order to reduce environmental impact, and Damen, whose aim it is to become the world’s most sustainable shipbuilder.

The ferries make significant strides towards a zero emission service, reducing Copenhagen’s public transport NOX emissions by 2.5%, CO2 emissions by 10% and particulate emissions by 66%.

Resistance is futile: shaping efficiency

The vessel’s sustainable credentials are powered by a series of innovative, digital shipbuilding techniques. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) were applied to the hull design, minimising resistance in the water, while cutting-edge software measured the relationship between engine torque and propeller speed. This resulted in the optimal use of battery packs for reduced weight, energy consumption and – ultimately – costs of operation.

The potential of connectivity

The ferries are prepared for remote monitoring. Informed by a network of sensors incorporated into the vessel, Damen’s remote monitoring department is able to set up a dashboard tracking such things as sailing patterns, battery lifecycle and swell dynamics. This allows fine-tuning of the operation towards greater efficiency and reduced downtime for maintenance.

Full service provision

For this project Damen has undertaken its role as integrator, or complete solution provider. This has involved, for example investigating shore solutions for electricity supply – in alignment with Movia’s requirement that 60% of the electricity for the operation comes from a sustainable source.

Martin Verstraaten, Damen sales manager, says, “This, in my opinion, is where Damen really add value to a project. Our involvement is not limited to the shipbuilding scope alone, we take responsibility for the entirety of the project. We provide a focal point where all partners involved the project come together to fulfil their individual roles in alignment with one another. With this, the project benefits from cohesive, centralised direction for maximum efficiency.”

Working closely together with Echandia Marine, Heliox and Staubli, Damen developed a solution that takes just seven minutes to charge the ferries at the end of each trip they make. The charging solution features an innovative auto-mooring system to ensure a secure connection between the vessel and charging infrastructure.

Transforming the current

Having recently unveiled the Electric Cutter Suction Dredger 650, Damen continues to work on a number of hybrid and electric projects. These include two fully electric ferries for Ontario, Canada, four (having delivered two to date) hybrid vessels, easily convertible to full electric propulsion in the future for BC Ferries in British Columbia, Canada and the world’s first fully electric harbour tug with 70 tonnes bollard pull for the port of Auckland, New Zealand.