The first of nine new high-speed hybrid ferries, built at the Spanish Astilleros Armon Shipyards for Italian ferry operator Liberty Lines, has been launched. EST-Floattech has provided its Green Orca battery system to Rolls-Royce as part of the Mtu hybrid propulsion system.
Vessels Vittorio Morace and Cristina M will now serve Liberty Lines’ routes between Sicily and the surrounding islands in Italy. The vessels can accommodate up to 251 passengers and can operate in different modes based on requirements: in pure-electric mode, they can enter and exit ports with zero emissions; in hybrid mode, the combustion engines enable high-speed travel across the sea while recharging the batteries and supplying electrical power on board.
“With this project, we are making a sustainable investment in the renewal of our fleet, with the purpose to continue to offer high-quality services to our stakeholders and minimize environmental impact in order to achieve an emission-free future,” said Liberty Lines chief executive officer Gennaro Carlo Cotella.
“After careful selection, testing and integration of the EST-Floattech battery system into the Mtu Hybrid Propulsion Pack it is great to see that the battery system is performing very well,” added Philippe Gorse, director mission critical E/E hardware at Rolls-Royce Power Systems.
Walter van der Pennen, commercial director at EST-Floattech, said, “We are proud to be selected by Rolls-Royce for their hybrid project for Liberty Lines. Based on our strong cooperation and extensive upfront testing the project went smooth and the vessel is performing accordingly.
“Vittorio Morace and Cristina M will begin operating to the smaller Sicilian islands during the summer season. The remaining vessels in the fleet are expected to be delivered between 2024 and 2029.”