Singapore’s first fully electric cargo vessel starts commercial trials

MarinEV’s 18.5m Hydromover – Singapore’s first fully electric cargo vessel – has begun commercial trials. It was developed by the Goal Zero Consortium and funded by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI). MarinEV is the marine electrification business of Singapore-based green technology solutions provider Yinson GreenTech (YGT).

Zero-emission vessel

The inaugural commercial trial commenced with OPL Services on August 26, 2024, when the Hydromover was handed over by marinEV at the Lita Ocean shipyard. Over the next few months, the Hydromover will be available to harbor craft operators in Singapore to trial-charter the vessel as part of their operational fleet of harbor craft.

The zero-emission vessel has been designed with swappable battery solutions and can carry up to 25 tons of cargo. The Hydromover will reportedly reduce operational costs compared with conventional vessels due to lower energy and maintenance costs.

The commercial trials are open to industry leaders looking to reduce the carbon footprint from their business activities. This initiative is intended to support Singapore’s goal of achieving net zero emissions in the domestic harbor craft sector by 2050 while enabling harbor craft operators to trial a fully electric lighter craft as part of their existing fleet, experiencing the operational benefits of the technology firsthand.

Fleet electrification partners

YGT acknowledged six potential partners who have provided letters of intent to charter the Hydromover for operational trials with a view to electrifying their fleets in the future. These include two Goal Zero partners, Lita Ocean and DM Sea Logistics, as well as OPL Services, Kanlian Ferry, RW Marine Services and Tian San Shipping. The six parties’ combined fleet is over 200 vessels, marking significant potential for future conversion to electric vessels.

“We are excited to take this significant step toward commercial adoption of electric vessels in the maritime industry,” said Jan-Viggo Johansen, managing director of marinEV. “This is a testament to our commitment to innovation and a crucial step in our mission to drive sustainable practices in maritime transportation. We invite all industry leaders to partake in these historic commercial trials, taking the opportunity to have their next cargo delivered by a fully electric, zero-emission vessel. By demonstrating the real-world benefits of electric vessels, we hope to accelerate the industry’s transition to net zero.”

Stanley Ong, director of Netline Group, the parent company of OPL Services, added, “As prospective owners, we would like to further understand the capabilities and limitations of an electric vessel and what tangible benefits an EV would bring to the industry and us as business owners. Our future plans are to align with MPA’s green targets by 2030. Therefore, understanding Hydromover and its future iterations is of utmost importance to us as we embark on this journey.”

In related news, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) recently launched its first pilot trial for an electric harbor craft (e-HC) charging point at the Marina South Pier (MSP), following an earlier call for proposals (CFP) to develop and operate e-HC charging points at various locations under a two-year pilot scheme. Click here to read the full story.