A contract has been signed for Swedish firm Echandia Marine to supply Damen Shipyards with LTO batteries for three fully electric ferries, set to run routes between Dordrecht, Zwijndrecht and Papendrecht. It will be the first fleet of electric and hybrid ferries for Rotterdam’s public transportation network, where they will operate as waterbuses.
Echandia’s E-LTO battery system was chosen by Damen Shipyards due to its weight, safety characteristics and competitive pricing. The system is stated to be among the safest currently available on the maritime market due to its excellent resistance to heat, preventing thermal runaway.
Furthermore, the E-LTO system requires no further measures for water cooling or fire suppression and the propagation of thermal runaway between the Toshiba cells is stated to be almost impossible. The batteries set for the vessels are also completely air-cooled.
“This is an exciting project. The waterbuses have been designed to deliver an excellent passenger experience. They are also extremely fuel-efficient due to optimal weight, design and configuration of onboard systems,” commented Echandia’s CEO, Magnus Eriksson.
The new contract is now the fourth between the pair and is the second part of a battery supply project for nine waterbuses. “It feels safe to work with Echandia because they are highly competent, deliver on time and meet the very high demands for safety, battery efficiency and flexibility that our customers require,” explained Johan Reurink, supply chain manager at Damen Shipyards Group.