The Port of Hamburg has announced that two hybrid police boats, Bürgermeister Brauer and Bürgermeister Weichmann, have been christened at the Landungsbrücken as part of its annual Port Anniversary celebrations.
Hybrid-electric propulsion
The two new police boats were built at the Baltic Workboats shipyard in Estonia and are equipped with a plug-in hybrid drive. The electric motors, each with an output of 500kW, enable the vessels to travel at a speed of 7 kts for at least two hours on electric power alone.
Karsten Schönewald, the managing director of Flotte Hamburg, a sustainable shipping startup that operates Hamburh’s inland vessels, said, “With today’s double christening, we are sending a strong signal for modern, sustainable shipping in the Port of Hamburg.
“Flotte Hamburg has been pooling its municipal watercraft since 2017 and has already made significant progress. The use of hybrid watercraft by the water police is a further measure to reduce emissions.”
A new era for Port of Hamburg
These vessels are part of the port’s efforts to become climate-neutral by 2040. Both radio patrol boats were handed over to the Hamburg fleet in December 2024 and have been at the disposal of the water police since spring 2025. They replace their 30-year-old predecessors.
Olaf Hagenloch, deputy chief of the Hamburg Water Police, said, “The new boats are not only technical masterpieces, they are also a symbol of change. With the hybrid drive, we are actively protecting the environment without compromising our operational capabilities. This is what sustainable and modern police work on the water looks like.”
In related news, following the debut of Malaysia’s first hybrid fast crew boat (FCB), Strategic Marine has delivered a second hybrid FCB to Centus Marine. Click here to read the full story