Norwegian battery swapping technology in maritime electrification no threat to engineering jobs

Nautilus Federation affiliate, the Norwegian Union of Marine Engineers says it is positive about new battery-swapping technology coming in on a fast ferry route in Norway. 

A shore-based robot will enable fast electrically propelled ferries operated by ferry company Norled to maintain tight sailing schedules in the Oslo fjord. The weight of massive battery banks on the vessels and the wait for battery charging would normally be prohibitive, the company says, but the SHIFTR system means a vessel's battery can be swapped in minutes for a replacement while the vessel is in port and charge on land while the ship is in operation. 

Ferry company Norled says the robot will be used on the fast ferries MS Baronen and MS Baronessen operating in the fjord between Nesoddtangen and Lysaker, a voyage of eight minutes.  

The company plans to increase the battery electric propulsion with the help of battery swapping. Work is expected to be completed during the winter, following installation and testing over the summer. 

In the first phase, both MS Baronessen and MS Baronen will operate with hybrid propulsion. This means that the vessels will sail on battery power in and out of port, combined with the use of hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) as fuel for other parts of the voyage. 

Anders Gjestad of the Norwegian Union of Marine Engineers told the Telegraph: 'This is significant for our members as a system like this will require skill and monitoring during the voyage. The battery packs are part of the vessels' propulsion engines and so come under engineers' area of responsibility. 

'We're positive about new technology as long as onboard safety is sorted. We do not see this as a threat.'

Norled claims it is implementing the world's first battery-swapping robot for fast ferries. It will gradually reduce the use of fossil fuels 'without compromising capacity or passenger safety.'