Havyard presents new design concept for zero-emission sightseeing vessels
Havyard Design & Solutions constitutes an expert environment for smart ship design and energy-efficient ships, and its design department has since 2005 researched and tested new designs and solutions for a wide variety of vessels, the company said in its release.
In July 2019, Havyard entered into a collaboration with SINTEF to investigate new solutions for a more environmentally friendly shipping industry. This is an important project that builds on a development process Havyard has been engaged in for the past decade, as well as research conducted in cooperation with SINTEF at the R&D centre SFI Smart Maritime. Havyard already has tools to measure energy consumption by calculating the realistic operational profile and environmental impact, which allow us to choose optimal solutions for hull, equipment and energy sources. This methodical approach, which can be applied to all types of vessels, enables Havyard to calculate and make commitments regarding realistic emission values in tenders for ferries, the Kystruten coastal route and other types of vessels.
Havyard is a pioneer in the design and construction of zero-emission ferries and draws upon this experience in its new city and fjord sightseeing concept. These ships are developed on the basis of our knowledge about battery-operation and charging, and can meet big cruise ships outside of the World Heritage areas and the cities and bring the passengers to the innermost parts of the fjords and into the city centres. The ships will be 70 meters long, have a capacity of 600–800 passengers, run at 10–11 knots and offer a quiet, comfortable travel experience that matches the experience of the scenery which is the purpose of the trip.
In addition to the no-emissions aspect, the design focuses on the passenger experience with spacious areas inside and out, big windows that allow the passengers to take in as much as possible, and, finally, a universal design allowing wheelchair users to move freely around the ship.
The passengers will be transferred on a floating hub installed at the mouth of the fjords and outside of the cities where the cruise ships call. These hubs will also serve as charging stations for the mini cruise vessels. A potential limited capacity of the grid can be overcome by connecting battery packs to the grid. This way, the load on the grid will be constant, and at the same time, the mini cruise vessels will have enough charging voltage. If the mini cruise vessels are charged during the night, they can use power from shore at the hub during their stay at daytime, thereby contributing to further emission reductions.