Marine battery manufacturer AYK Energy is set to unveil what it describes as the world’s first swappable containerized marine battery system at the SMM trade fair in Hamburg.
The company said it is already receiving orders for the battery while it progresses through the class approval process, having completed the new technology qualification (TQ) stage, a structured process for demonstrating that a new technology is sufficiently mature before advancing to full class approval.
AYK Energy founder Chris Kruger said the containerized battery technology changes how marine batteries can be installed, deployed and operated. “A vast amount of engineering time and investment has gone into this,” he commented. “The AYK Cosmos Marine Battery Container will simplify installation, reduce engineering complexity, lower project costs and speed up implementation. The system also removes the need for a dedicated battery room which can be a highly complex engineering job and significant cost.”
Kruger said the system’s flexibility allows batteries to be swapped or permanently installed depending on operational needs. “Our containerized batteries can be stacked onshore and charged off-site to be transported to ports when required,” he said. “They can then be loaded onto vessels at speed and tailored to voyage energy requirements … perhaps loading dozens of batteries at a time to meet short sea fully electric requirements in the EU, for example to help meet ETS standards.”
He added that the system can also deliver temporary hotel-load power while vessels are in port, be exchanged between voyages as a swappable system, or be permanently installed for hybrid or fully electric vessels.
According to Kruger, the battery features eight independent levels of safety, with IP67 protection and an A60 fire rating.
AYK Energy is primarily targeting the ferry, ro-pax and passenger vessel market, though the battery is also suitable for tugboats, feeder vessels, hybrid commercial craft, fully electric vessels and other workboats requiring battery power.
“We firmly believe our technology will remove the barriers to electrification, make battery technology easier to adopt, and as a result accelerate maritime decarbonization,” Kruger said. “The system we have developed combines safety, flexibility and cost-effectiveness, which we believe are the three pillars that will support the accelerated electrification of the sector.”
AYK Energy said it has previously pioneered LFP battery chemistry for marine use and was the first company to secure marine certification for LFP batteries with DNV.
In related news, AYK Energy and Gebhard Electro unveil two maritime electrification projects