Klaipėda Port has launched what it says is the first green hydrogen- and electricity-powered ship in Lithuania. Commissioned by the Klaipėda State Seaport Authority for €12m (US$12.5m), the vessel is being built by West Baltic Shipyard and Baltic Workboats to accept waste from other ships entering the port.
The tanker is 42m long and 10m wide. Its power system will consist of two electric motors powered by 2,000kWh batteries and a hydrogen fuel cell system. Depending on the intensity of the work, the tanker will be able to operate in the port of Klaipėda for up to 36 hours without additional power charging.
Project progress
A symbolic keel-laying ceremony at the West Baltic Shipyard of the West Baltic Shipyard Group marked the start of the ship’s construction in June 2024. To date, the hull has been fabricated and painted, with piping, valves, coolers, shaft lines, rudder feathers, heating and fire insulation installed.
The ship has now been moved into the water. The engine room equipment, electrical wiring and main electrical engines and the hydrogen system will soon be installed, the interior of the wheelhouse will be decorated, and other work necessary for the operation of the ship will be carried out.
Leave no trace
According to the current rules, vessels are obliged to hand over the waste they produce when they arrive and before they leave Klaipėda Port. The Seaport Authority is entrusted with the collection of the waste, and the company decided to use modern, environmentally friendly equipment to improve the quality of the service.
The tanker’s main function is to collect stormwater, sewage, sludge and garbage, and ensure efficient waste management. The ship will be equipped with special tanks and a modern rainwater treatment plant that will enable the treated water to be transferred to the city’s sewage treatment plants. The tanker will be ready to work around the clock and collect up to 400m3 of liquid waste.
Algis Latakas, director general of Klaipėda State Seaport Authority, said, “We have launched not only a tanker but also a new approach to port operations – cleaner, smarter and more environmentally friendly. This first-ever hydrogen- and electricity-powered ship is not only an innovative technological solution but also an important step in strengthening Lithuania’s image as a modern maritime nation. At the moment, the tanker is getting used to the seaport water, so to speak, and at the end of the year we expect it to start its important mission of taking care of the clean seaport environment. Such a decision will not leave a footprint on nature, but it will certainly leave a strong mark on our path to a greener future.”
In related news, Sirius Shipping recently ordered four 7,999 dwt oil/chemical tankers, which will be built at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Dingheng. The vessels will be equipped with a 420kWh hybrid battery to enable peak shaving on both the main engine and auxiliary engines. Click here to read the full story.