Press Release

AVL Leads Smart Electrification of Short Straits Ferries Consortium
Press Release

Decarbonising the Maritime Sector
Blue and white ferry in the foreground on the water with solar panels on the dock to the right with wind turbines in the background
  • AVL, The University of Kent and DFDS form a consortium to undertake a feasibility study on different designs for the future DFDS deployment of e-vessels on The Short Straits routes
  • Successful application to the Smart Shipping Acceleration Fund competition
  • AVL are responsible for the battery operation simulation work package
  • Key findings will be shared to enhance the UK’s position as a world leader in smart shipping technology and decarbonising the maritime sector

 

To support the decarbonisation of the maritime sector in line with the Clean Maritime Plan as part of the UK government’s Maritime 2050 strategy, AVL is leading the Smart Electrification of Short Straits Ferries (SESSF) consortium feasibility study exploring the most viable designs for e-vessels operating cross-channel routes between the United Kingdom and Europe.

Basildon, United Kingdom, October 2024: This project is part of the Smart Shipping Acceleration Fund (SSAF), funded by the UK Department for Transport (DfT) and delivered by Innovate UK. SSAF is part of the Department’s UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) programme, a £206m initiative focused on developing the technology necessary to decarbonise the UK domestic maritime sector. The consortium which is led by AVL and including DFDS, a leading ferry operator on The Short Straits, and the University of Kent have successfully applied.

The collaborative project aims to identify the most viable designs for e-vessels, considering ship, propulsion and battery systems across a wide range of operating scenarios. Alongside this a techno-economic analysis will be undertaken and a dashboard developed by CeLSA, the Centre for Logistics and Sustainability Analysis at the University of Kent, which will help inform DFDS optimal strategic and operation decision-making process with the deployment of new electric ferries.

AVL is leading the overall project management and utilising their expertise in batteries and simulation solutions will be responsible for the simulation work package, looking after various operation scenarios for charge and discharge cycles of the different e-vessels designs. To facilitate this work, AVL will be using the state-of-the-art CRUISE™ M multi-domain simulation tool to create ship models including propulsion and energy systems.

The anticipated results from this project will play a crucial role in DFDS achieving their goal of deploying battery electric ships on The Short Straits from 2030. It will also have a wider impact in decarbonisation of the maritime sector as the key insights such as the reduce in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will be shared with the industry and government departments such as the DfT, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and Innovate UK.

Dr Matthias Wellers, Managing Director, AVL Powertrain UK Ltd: “We are excited to be at the forefront of this transformative project. Together with our academic and end-user partners we are committed to driving forward the decarbonisation of the maritime sector and hope that the insights gained from this study will not only support the goals of the UK maritime sector but also set a benchmark for decarbonising one of the most important trade routes in Europe.”

Dr Ramin Raeesi, Reader in Management Science and Director of the Centre for Logistics and Sustainability Analytics (CeLSA) in Kent Business School: “We are building on our extensive track record and previously completed transport decarbonisation projects, particularly those completed at Dover. It will see us lead the development of a digital and data-driven decision support tool that enables a complete cost/benefit and techno-economic analysis of the options and informs the strategic and operational decisions DFDS is currently making with regard to the ordering, deployment and best operational practices of e-vessels. This project is a crucial step forward in bringing the channel crossing decarbonisation closer to reality.”

Gauvain Haulot, Route Director Channel & Baltics, DFDS: “This partnership is an important step towards decarbonising cross-Channel transport. The electrification of our cross-Channel fleet is essential for us to meet our climate targets and with this R&D collaboration, we aim to accelerate the transition to a greener future for the shipping industry.”

About AVL

AVL is a world-leading technology company specialising in development, simulation and testing in the automotive industry and other sectors such as rail, marine and energy. Through extensive research, AVL delivers concepts, technology solutions, methodologies and development tools for sustainable, safe and advanced mobility and beyond.

AVL supports international partners and customers in sustainable and digital transformation, with a focus on electrification, software, AI and automation. AVL also supports companies in energy-intensive sectors on their way to green and efficient energy generation and supply.

For more information: www.avl.com

 

About The University of Kent

The University of Kent in England is renowned internationally for the quality of its teaching and research, with many of its academic schools and centres being among the best in their disciplines across the arts and humanities, sciences, and social sciences. Its campuses at Canterbury and Medway welcome more than 17,000 students from over 150 countries. The University is individually and collectively in the pursuit of progress, with a student-focused approach which is supportive, challenging and rewarding, and interdisciplinary research driven by collaboration to create positive impact. We are proud to be a values-driven university and work hard to ensure that our students are at the heart of all we do. We are committed to offering one of the best education and student experiences in the UK, undertaking research and innovation of the highest standard, and being a civic university that serves and contributes to our communities.

About DFDS

We operate a transport network in and around Europe with an annual revenue of DKK 28bn and 14,000 full-time employees. We move goods in trailers by ferry, road & rail and we offer complementary and related transport and logistics solutions. We also move car and foot passengers on short sea and overnight ferry routes. DFDS was founded in 1866 and is headquartered and listed in Copenhagen.

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