Metstech will convert the Neptunus ferry to hybrid propulsion, significantly reducing its carbon footprint, air pollution and noise emissions. Although Metstech is responsible for the hybridisation of the ferry, the main contractor is Stockholm Repairyard, the shipyard. This means that they are leading the entire project, which encompasses far more than just the ship’s electrification. The shipowner is Trafikverket, the Swedish Transport Administration.
For this conversion project, Metstech will act as the electrical system integrator for the shipyard, overseeing the design and engineering of the new hybrid driveline. As part of the upgrade, Metstech will provide a new automation system based on the MIAS platform, as well as two new DC main switchboards for power distribution.
The conversion of the Neptunus, highlighted in a recent article by Sjöfartstidningen, is one step in a much larger process outlined in Trafikverket‘s Vision 45 document. The aim is to decarbonise the entire fleet of ferries by 2045 — the year in which the Swedish government has set the target for the country to become climate neutral. In brief, the hybridisation of the Neptunus ferry symbolises a new maritime and climate era.
Trafikverket has not yet chosen a single fuel to be the ultimate winner in the maritime transition. However, it has selected electrification as the primary option because this technology is currently operational and eliminates CO₂ and PM emissions. Batteries are also ideal for the frequent, short journeys that characterise much of Sweden’s ferry network.
This choice comes with certain demands. Electrification requires rapid, high-capacity charging at busy terminals. Metstech is a pioneer in this area, too. As part of a different project, our company is designing and building the Gullmarsleden charging station in Bohuslän. Once complete, the charging station will be fully automated and have a capacity of over three megawatts (roughly equivalent to twelve fast car charges).
The symbolism that Neptunus brings to the sea is replicated on shore by the construction of the Gullmarsleden charging station — and the common link between the two is MetstechShip by ship, berth by berth and cable by cable, the ferries of western Sweden will be transformed. With each step in this marine transition, Trafikverket and other shipowners and operators will help move the nation closer to a future where the only sounds above the water will be the whisper of the wind and the murmur of the waves.
You will find links to the Sjöfartstidningen article and the Stockholm Repairyard post in the comments.