Norway’s Eitzen Group has ordered two electric container vessels, set to be among the largest ever put into commercial operation, to run a freight corridor connecting Hamburg, Gothenburg and Oslo.
Classed by DNV and built by Zhejiang Dongpeng Shipbuilding & Repairing Co., with delivery scheduled over the next 24 to 27 months, the vessels will be powered by battery packs of over 100 MWh, giving a range of 500 to 600 nautical miles. The project is one of seven electric vessels backed by a grant from Norway’s Enova.
Tuva Flagstad-Andersen, SVP / Regional Manager North Europe at DNV Maritime, said: “It is an honour for DNV to be part of this innovative new project, and I would like to thank Eitzen and Dongpeng Shipyard for placing their trust in our expertise. It is especially pleasing to see this emerge from a close cooperative effort with the Green Shipping Programme (GSP), which was founded to help Norway lead on these cutting-edge designs.
“Electric shipping is scaling fast, utilized in small vessels and to help optimize engine performance, but scaling to a full 850 TEU container ship is a step beyond. And with the rise of regulations to drive shore power, we will hopefully see this project launch the next wave of hybrid and fully electric vessels in new ship segments and sizes.”
Last year, Eitzen’s subsidiary, Eitzen Avanti, successfully secured a grant of 200 million Norwegian kroner (approximately US$21 million) from Norwegian state-owned enterprise Enova to order two new 850 TEU vessels. Enova is a Norwegian state-owned company dedicated to promoting green energy solutions.
Headquartered in Oslo, the Eitzen Group operates in shipping, logistics, and marine technology. Moving forward, through its subsidiary Zen, it will continue to focus on providing the shipping industry with comprehensive electrification solutions encompassing vessels, battery systems, charging infrastructure, and digital operations.