The Goal Zero Consortium, comprising companies such as SeaTech Solutions International (S) Pte Ltd, Shift Clean Energy, Yinson GreenTech and classed by RINA, has launched the Hydromover – Singapore’s first fully-electric cargo vessel with swappable batteries. It can transport up to 25 tonnes, CEO of the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) of Singapore, Eng Dih Teo said in a LinkedIn post.
In particular, out of 16 proposals received, the Goal Zero Consortium, alongside two others, were shortlisted to develop its technical and commercial viability.
R&D support from TCOMS – Technology Centre for Offshore and Marine, Singapore, and the Singapore Institute of Technology helped to inform vessel engineering and construction plans, as well as development of onboard #digital systems.
The 18.5 m Hydromover can operate at 8-10 knots and go up to 40 nautical miles at half load. It comes with a range of #efficiency features, including:
- Catamaran aluminium hull for reduced drag, more stability & deck space, which is expected to be ~30% more energy efficient than conventional hull designs
- Lightweight components to reduce deadweight, such as 3D-printed passenger seats
- Solar panels to generate clean energy
- Azimuth thrusters that allow for swifter directional changes and vessel manoeuvrability
- Swappable high energy-density lightweight LiNMC batteries that deliver more power
- Decision-making support to optimise energy, calculate waypoints, sensing-and-avoiding other vessels
Using batteries that can be swapped out within minutes, Hydromover can minimise its operational downtime and spend more time serving the needs of port users. With less downtime, such e-HC can be more productive whereby a smaller fleet can do the work of several conventional #harbourcraft.
The initial incremental CAPEX costs for e-HC can be outweighed by the productivity gains and reduced operating costs over the vessel’s lifetime. There would also be aggregated cost savings for operators as the same amount of work can now be done by a smaller fleet.
