A German consortium led by Gerd Holbach, a professor at Technischen Universität Berlin (TU Berlin), has shown with a new vessel that fuel cells as a propulsion option will soon no longer be only a theoretical concept.
Since 2016 the consortium has been pioneering the development of Elektra, the first hydrogen fueled tug in the world.
The basis of the newly developed hybrid system is the battery package, consisting of 242 DNV-GL approved GO1050 modules with a total capacity of 2.5MWh, delivered by EST-Floattech, as well as three maritime fuel cell systems (NT-PEMFC, 100kW peak power each).
Although the power of the battery and the fuel cells will be used together to power the electric motors, for complete redundancy the two powertrains are entirely independent systems.
As explained, in battery-electric mode, the tug will cover 65km (40 miles) over an 8-hour period before recharging is required.
Years of in-depth research has paid off. The final design of Elektra is nothing short of impressive. The 20m-long pusher with a beam of 8.2m and a draft of 1.25m will deliver an electric power capacity of 21,200kWh for a round trip from Berlin toHamburg. It is also emissions free. On hydrogen, Elektra will be able to travel a minimum of 100km (62 miles) over a 16-hour day or longer.
Elektra is designed to push the cargo barge Ursus, developed by the Design and Operation of Maritime Systems department at TU Berlin, and numerous other cargo boats.
What is more, the vessel is to be used primarily for transportation of goods on the Berlin to Hamburg and inner-city routes in Berlin. Its most important transportation task will be carrying Siemens turbines, which need to be shipped from the production site in the center of Berlin to the Western Harbor or to Hamburg.
