Full Electric Ferry “Sankta Maria II”

About the city. Oberbillig is situated on the Moselle river. There is a car ferry across the Moselle that connects Oberbillig in Germany to the city of Wasserbillig in Luxemburg.

Goal

The main goal of the project is to find and provide Germany with environmentally friendly water treatment solutions.

Implementation period. Electric ferry was launched in 2017.

Fact

Worldwide, maritime transport accounts for almost 2.5% of total greenhouse gas emissions, according to the International Maritime Organization.

Market researchers IDTechEx One estimated that one large ship emits as much CO2 as 70,000 cars, as much nitrogen oxide as 2 million cars, and as much fine dust and carcinogenic particles as 2.5 million cars. Ships produce 15%of global nitrogen oxide emissions.

Solutions

“Sankta Maria II” deck carries 45 passengers, 25 bicycles and six cars per trip and is said to be more modern and much more eco-friendly and silent than the previous one. It sails between Wasserbillig and Oberbillig.

The ferry has a hull length of 17 metres and is 8.6 metres wide. The access flaps are each 5.5 metres long. The load capacity is 25 tonnes. The transmission is powered by four electrically driven rudder propellers of 27 hp each. The power needed for this transmission comes from the drive batteries, which are recharged overnight with shore power (approximately 6 hours charging time). The battery capacity is made for 13 hours of ferry operation plus a further 13 hours as a safety backup.

Every year the electric ferry save about 14,000 litres of diesel fuel, it is equipped with new lithium-polymer batteries, improved electronic charging technology and new electric motors. The ship’s hull lines have been optimized to reduce water movement by 10%.

Challenges

“Sankta Maria II” electric ferry broke down on its inauguration day in Wasserbillig. The boat was forced to stop working only a few hours after launching because of hydraulic system failure.

Although the failure did not prevent the boat from going to sea, the commune decided to suspend the crossing to make repairs.

Team

Formstaal and Ostseestaal shipbuilding companies

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