In an effort to reduce shipping emissions, 14 partners joined forces to develop and construct zero-emission fast going passenger vessel through advanced modular production.
Specifically, the TrAM-project, was awarded 12M Euros back in 2018 from the EU’s Horizon 2020 research program to revolutionize production of zero emission vessels.
Today ships are most often designed as a one-off, even though many of them are built according to almost exactly the same specifications. We are examining the opportunities for creating modules that can be reused across application cases.
…explains M.Eng. Tobias Seidenberg.
For the records, behind the initiative are: Cluster partners Rogaland Fylkeskommune (Project coordinator), Hydro Extrusion Norway, Leirvik and Fjellstrand participates in the project, together with European partners Wärtsilä Holland (Netherlands), MBNA Thames Clippers (UK), University of Strathclyde (UK), Fraunhofer IEM (Germany), National Technical University of Athens, HSVA (Germany) and Waterwegen & Zeekanal NV (Belgium).
What is more, the project is considered to be revolutionary both in terms of zero emission technology and manufacturing methods, and is intended to contribute to making electric-powered high-speed vessels competitive in terms of both monetary and environmental costs.
The proposed modular concept will be validated and refined through one physical demonstrator and two replicators.
In fact, the demonstrator will be a zero-emissions passenger ferry that will service a multi-stop commuter route into the Norwegian city of Stavanger from January 2022. The replicators will be developed for the rivers and channels in London and Belgium.
Our goal is to develop a modularisation methodology that allows all three vessels to have the same systems and interfaces inside the hull and the same rough structures – maybe with a partly different hull shape for each vessel.
….Dr. Ing. Christoph Jürgenhake at Fraunhofer IEM, commented.
Concluding, the construction of the demonstrator vessel will commence in early 2021, while the fully electric fast ferry is scheduled to enter commercial operation for Kolumbus in Stavanger on January 1st, 2022.