The keel-laying ceremony for Lithuania’s first hydrogen-electric ship, specially designed for waste management, was held on June 21. This vessel will be 42 meters long and 10 meters wide, with a capacity to collect up to 400 m3 of liquid waste.
Technical details of Lithuanian hydrogen-electric ship
The boat will be equipped with two electric motors powered by batteries with a capacity of 2000 kWh and a hydrogen fuel cell system. hydrogen fuel cell system installed on board. According to the port of Klaipeda, depending on the intensity of the work, the ship will be able to operate for up to 36 hours with a single cargo within the port.
The hull, superstructure and wheelhouse will be built at the Western Baltija shipyard in the port of Klaipeda. The installation of the loading systems and other complementary works will be carried out at the same site.
Estonian technology for sustainable ships
The main challenge for shipbuilders, according to the port, is to design and build a ship capable of collecting oily bilge water, sewage, sludge and other wastes. For this purpose, the vessel must be equipped with waste collection tanks and an oily bilge water treatment plant that will process the wastewater and transfer it along with other wastewater to the city’s onshore treatment plant.
Estonian company Baltic Workboats is in charge of installing the main and auxiliary machinery, as well as harmonizing and testing all the ship’s systems. The hydrogen fuel cell system will also be installed in Estonia.
Lithuania advances green hydrogen technology
Algis Latakas, director general of the Klaipeda State Port Authority, stressed: “The Port Authority has undertaken very ambitious projects in recent years. In a few years, we will be the first in Lithuania to produce green hydrogen and have a hydrogen-powered ship that will clean other ships without leaving an environmental footprint. We are proud to build this modern and environmentally friendly vessel here in Lithuania.“
For his part, Arnoldas Šileika, CEO of the Western Shipyard Group of Companies, said Western Shipyard (WSY), added: “Building an advanced ship for our own country is an honor and a great responsibility. This collaboration with our Estonian partners demonstrates a strong business partnership between the two countries.“
Likewise, Jüri Taal, member of the board of directors of Baltic Workboats, commented: “This project is an achievement for Baltic Workboats. We are pleased to deliver such a modern ship to our Baltic neighbors. It will be the first tanker built by Baltic Workboats, equipped with a hydrogen power plant.“
This project, with a total value of 12 million euros, was commissioned by the Klaipeda State Port Authority and is being built by Baltic Workboats in cooperation with Western Baltija Shipbuilding. The ship is expected to be ready to sail in Klaipeda harbor waters by the end of next year.
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Source and photo: offshore-energy