DNV GL presented the specific battery hybrid propulsion system and its benefits for the offshore supply vessel Viking Lady at the Greener Shipping Summit – Ships of the Future conference held in Athens.

The battery hybrid installation has been tested in sea trials, which showed that a 15 per cent reduction in fuel consumption, 25 per cent reduction in NOx emissions and 30 per cent reduction in GHG emissions can be realised in practice, especially for dynamic positioning operations. These results stem from the FellowSHIP III research and development project between DNV GL, Eidesvik Offshore and Wärtsilä, co-funded by the Research Council of Norway.

“Considering that the global fleet of offshore supply vessels of relevant sizes is over 4,000, such technologies have the potential to make an impact when it comes to improving sustainability,” Dr. Nikolaos Kakalis, Head of DNV GL Strategic Research & Innovation in Greece, said.

The Viking Lady uses a conventional diesel-electric propulsion system, comprising four dual-fuel engines driving five thrusters for propulsion and manoeuvring/dynamic positioning. In this project, a lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 450 kWh was added – enabling the vessel to use hybrid-electric propulsion. The battery acts as an energy buffer that is able to cover the intense load variations that can occur, especially in dynamic positioning and standby operations.