The world’s first battery hybrid ship arrived in Rekefjord

The converted bulk carrier is the world’s first of its kind, and has now been in operation for a year. On Monday 28 November, the ship arrived in Rekefjord. It was loaded with stone from Rekefjord Stone, which will be used for an offshore wind project in the North Sea.

It is one year since the then Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg launched the pioneer ship, which set a new standard for environmentally friendly ship transport.
“This is the world’s first plug-in hybrid bulk ship and is a splendid example of a new technology that is necessary until we find other zero-emission solutions,” thePrime Minister Erna Solberg stated when visiting the ship at Oslo Harbor in autumn 2021.

Norwegian technology

Hagland Captain previously transported bulk goods such as timber and stone, and has now been converted into a plug-in hybrid ship with a 1000 kWh battery that is used during sailing in and out. In port, the ship operates fully electrically when unloading and loading. In addition to the battery technology, the ship is prepared to use alternative fuels for further CO2 cuts.

The rebuilding has been driven by Norwegian expertise and Norwegian technology, which the rest of the world is now looking to. The companies “Wärtsilä” in Stord and “Los Elektro” in Bømlo have supplied the technology, and the project has received support from the NOX fund.

This is a new way of thinking about industrial cooperation and ship traffic. There are approximately 5,000 ships in the world in this segment and this ship is the first of this kind and has become a template for later newbuildings with battery hybrid, says COO of Hagland Shipping Øivind W. Aanensen.

Since the launch of Hagland Captain, Hagland Shipping has built and launched a corresponding battery hybrid, Hagland Pionèr. By next summer, two more new ships in the same class will be launched with the same technology. At this time, Hagland will be the only player in the world to have the majority of its own fleet based on a battery hybrid propulsion solution.

Large emission cuts

The new propulsion solution reduces NOX emissions by 90 per cent, which corresponds to the emissions from 84,000 cars per year. Diesel use and CO2 emissions are reduced by up to 20 per cent. Compared to older ships that are to be phased out, the battery hybrid has up to 40 per cent less CO2 emissions.

For us at NOAH, it is important to reduce our footprint, and to be a driving force for emission cuts along the entire value chain. The battery hybrid begins a new chapter when it comes to cutting emissions from transport in industry and the scaling possibilities are good, says CEO of NOAH Anders Lægreid.

RSA facilitates green shipping

In Rekefjord, there is currently a high level of activity, including the shipping of large quantities of quality stone to two large offshore wind projects in the North Sea. The transport will take place until March 2023, and Hagland’s environmentally friendly boats are now planned to be used also for future deliveries to European markets.

The entire industry is challenged to deliver stone to Europe with the lowest possible footprint. In Rekefjord, we have a modern and well-run facility that annual produces over two million ton of stone for the European market. Our material goes into building infrastructure, but also significant deliveries to various coastal protection and offshore wind projects. With our location in Rekefjord, we have a short distance to the market, and with environmentally friendly sea transport like this, we are in a very good position to win future projects, says general manager of Rekefjord Stone, Egil Solheim.