Kawasaki Heavy Industries says it has been awarded a contract to design an electric propulsion system for the world’s first electric tanker. Two shipbuilders in Shikoku will build the two vessels, with the first one to be completed by March 2023. It is about 60 meters long and has a gross tonnage of 499 tons.
The ship will be powered by lithium-ion batteries, which have the capacity of about 100 electric cars, and will run without emitting greenhouse gases. The order was placed from Asahi Tanker, a MOL-affiliated company. The order amount was not disclosed. The ship is planned to be used as a fuel carrier for ships in Tokyo Bay. The tightening of environmental regulations by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has led to several moves to develop fuel ships to replace heavy oil.
Source: The Nikkei (The original article was partially revised by the author.)
PSR Analysis: The purchaser, Asahi Tanker, is one of the seven members of the e5 Consortium, which was established to develop and promote zero-emission electric propulsion vessels. The “e5” stands for “electrification” “environment” “evolution” “efficiency” and “economics”.
Coastal vessels are facing structural problems in the industry, such as a shortage of seafarers, an aging population, and aging vessels, as well as the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Electric powered ships could be one solution to these problems. The aim is to reduce the burden of engine maintenance and fuel management. One idea is to use electric-powered ships as a portable power source in times of disaster. The initial cost of construction would be high, but the running costs, including labor costs, would be low. However, there is also a crucial challenge to the electrification of merchant ships: the weight of the batteries.
Of course, batteries themselves will continue to evolve, especially in terms of weight reduction. However, the weight of the current batteries may put pressure on ship operating costs and installation space. The question of how Kawasaki Heavy Industries will solve this problem in design will be a touchstone for the electrification of ships. PSR
Akihiro Komuro, Research Analyst is Far East and Southeast Asia for Power Systems Research
