AYK Energy will supply Polaris and PiscesA+ batteries for two workboat projects

Marine battery maker AYK Energy will supply battery systems for two workboat projects it is working on with Dutch maritime system integrator Gebhard Electro: a new trailing suction hopper dredger under construction at Damen Shipyards; and the conversion of the Port of Rotterdam’s patrol vessel RPA 8 to fully electric propulsion.

The dredger, a Damen TSHD 1000, is being built in the Netherlands for UK Dredging, part of Associated British Ports.

The vessel combines diesel-electric propulsion with an integrated energy storage system, and AYK will provide a 318 kWh liquid-cooled Polaris battery system for it. An energy storage system lets a diesel-electric vessel’s generators run closer to their optimum load and covers peaks in demand, cutting fuel burn and engine running hours. Gebhard Electro is responsible for the electrical installation and system integration.

The battery will be one of the first liquid-cooled Polaris units AYK has installed following DNV type approval, according to the company. Liquid cooling holds cells closer to a uniform temperature than air cooling does, which helps pack life and supports higher continuous power.

RPA 8, which the Port of Rotterdam uses as a patrol vessel, is being converted from hybrid to fully electric propulsion using a 1,640 kWh PiscesA+ battery system. Gebhard Electro is handling the electrical integration for the retrofit, which AYK describes as part of the port’s move toward an emission-free operations fleet.

“Battery technology is a key component of vessel electrification, but its real value is achieved through effective system integration,” said Gerard Kraaij, Gebhard Electro’s Managing Director.

AYK supplied a 2.2 MWh Aries+S system for VOLTA, a fully electric maintenance vessel for Martens en Van Oord that is deployed in inland waters. It also delivered an 82 kWh Orion system for the retrofit of VB KRACHT, a hybrid tug for Boluda Towage. Both were joint projects with Gebhard Electro.

“The cost of batteries is falling and the technology is evolving, delivering greater efficiencies. It is no longer just a green message. Our batteries are providing value and they pay for themselves within a matter of years,” said Chris Kruger, AYK Energy’s founder.

Source: AYK Energy