Environmentally friendly hybrid ferries for the Port of Hamburg
Another major milestone on the road to the electrification of ship propulsion systems, for both Voith and the long-established ferry operator HADAG Seetouristik und Fährdienst AG: 2024 saw the successful commissioning of the first two of a total of three new 2030 ferries for the Port of Hamburg.
Particularly eco-friendly thanks to eVSP
The new flagships of the HADAG fleet were developed by Voith in partnership with the Heinrich Rönner Group’s SET Schiffbau- u. Entwicklungsgesellschaft Tangermünde mbH and Flensburg-based ship designers naValue GmbH. The ferries are powered by especially eco-friendly hybrid system with two electric Voith Schneider Propellers (eVSP).
Several hundred variants of the hull design
A special feature of this project is that Voith was not only responsible for the propulsion technology in the development process for the new hybrid ferries but also for optimizing the ship’s hull. “While strictly observing the customer’s exacting requirements on performance and fuel consumption, our R&D experts – with the help of CFD simulations and automated optimization methods – produced several hundred individual variants of the hull design and calculated the energy efficiency of each one. Numerous model tests were also carried out and confirmed the result of our calculations,” says Oliver Lenz, Sales Application Manager Marine at Voith.
Smallest version of the eVSP to date on board
The necessary thrust and a maximum speed of up to 13 knots are provided by two likewise developed 5-bladed eVSP 9x5/100s with 200 kW each – also newly developed – equipped with integrated permanent magnet electric motors from ELIN Motoren, a subsidiary of Voith Turbo.
“Our smallest version to date of the gearless propulsion system specifically requested by the customer ensures low pollutant and noise emissions and the highest level of comfort on board at all times while significantly reducing energy requirements. Characterized by optimal maneuverability, the propulsion system has the distinction of providing a high level of safety, even in the often hectic and sometimes adverse conditions encountered in the Port of Hamburg,” says Lenz.
Training sessions with HADAG captains
In addition, Voith's experts conducted several training sessions with HADAG's captains in advance on a specially developed simulator. This enabled them to familiarise themselves with the advantages of the eVSP even before the three new hybrid ferries entered service.
About HADAG Seetouristik und Fährdienst AG
Come rain, hail or shine, HADAG vessels have been sailing across the Port of Hamburg and on the Elbe River since 1888, with operations spanning 365 days and around 330,000 nautical miles a year. In cooperation with the Hamburg Public Transport Association, HADAG operates all local ferry traffic on eight routes with 18 piers. To enable the company to be ideally equipped for future economic and ecological challenges, sustainable fleet modernization measures are now in full swing.
