A subsidiary of shipyard firm the Harland & Wolff Group, has announced today at the London International Shipping Week, a new partnership with Echandia, the Swedish energy systems supplier.
The partnership with Harland & Wolff Technologies (HWT) which recently opened in Aberdeen, is to see work with Echandia on the development of its battery technology, helping to increase capability of the batteries and scaling the technology for new vessel types.
In addition the partnership gives H&W exclusive distribution rights for battery sales in the UK, Ireland and Australia for the maritime sector. HWT will also establish a UK assembly line for the battery systems and provide in-service support for installations in field.
This agreement builds upon the recently announced consortium as Afloat reported between the two companies to develop and build green (zero emissions) harbour and coastal tugs, alongside Macduff Ship Designers and Kongsberg Maritime.
H&W Technologies is to drive forward the development of new technological solutions for the maritime sector. These include batteries, future fuels and systems integration as well as the provision of in-service support.
As the maritime sector transitions to low and zero emission operations, vessel owners and operators are testing different propulsion solutions for different segments within the sector. Batteries are being deployed today for all vessel types, incorporating fully electric and hybrid solutions.
Echandia works with the world’s largest shipyards and system integrators to equip new and retrofit vessels with batteries for hybridisation, full propulsion, and increased energy efficiency. Echandia has successfully deployed its battery systems in the ferry, naval and workboat sectors.
The Echandia battery system is an air-cooled, lithium-ion battery system, certified for maritime heavy-duty usage. With its robust construction and high performance, Echandia’s battery systems are ideally suited for applications that require safe operation over a long lifetime.
John Wood, CEO of the Harland & Wolff Group of Companies said: “We are delighted to announce this new partnership, which will see Harland & Wolff Technologies working with Echandia to assemble, integrate and test the next generation of battery systems for the maritime sector.
“We are committed to developing and bringing to market the best possible solutions for our customers and this partnership will enable us to do that on batteries across the commercial, leisure, offshore and defence industries.”
Fredrik Hellström, CEO of Echandia said: “We are excited and enthusiastic about the partnership with Harland & Wolff. We firmly believe that this represents a significant step towards securing substantial business opportunities in key markets and emerging segments. Together, we are laying the foundation to further enhance our offerings to customers and contribute to an emissions-free maritime industry.”
