Building tomorrow’s world of public transportation

So what’s the other option? “This involves a flywheel driven ferry,” says Henk. “At either end is a windmill, which is used to recharge the vessel ready for its return to the other side.” This one is of course also depending largely on nature: wind. Nowadays however, there are technical solutions available to store energy and use it when needed.

Unlike the first example, which is rooted in the past, this method belongs to the future. But this does not mean that the ferry world of today is devoid of innovative solutions towards sustainability. Far from it.

Covering the middle ground is Damen. Being involved in all sectors of the maritime industry, the company is investing considerably in the development of more sustainable public transport solutions. These efforts, Henk says, fall within three main areas; the much touted solution of LNG, diesel-hybrid and all electric.

Having a gas

“We have seen a large increase in the amount of interest in LNG. The days of the ‘chicken and egg situation’ are largely behind us.”

Until relatively recently, the big conundrum posed by LNG was the waiting game to see who moved first. Would vessel owners begin the switch to LNG-powered vessels before ports provided the relevant infrastructure for refuelling? Or would it fall to ports to put the system in place first, in the hope that vessels owners would quickly follow and deliver a return on investment? Many ports have stepped up to the plate on this one, and the LNG question is not the challenge it once was. Consequently, LNG propulsion in ferries shows promise, at least for some areas.

“We carried out a study with our clients, considering CAPEX and OPEX, to see what the best sustainable solution would be from an economic perspective,” continues Henk. “We reached the conclusion that it would be an LNG-driven RoPax ferry with engines driving the propellers directlyMany solutions are based on electric propulsion but this will be less energy efficient and lengthen the pay back time for LNG considerably. The findings were a mixed blessing. LNG is certainly ahead of all-electric propulsion when it comes to equipment availability, but that does not mean the required components are easy to come by. And, with many manufacturers concentrating their efforts on hybrid solutions, this may not change in the immediate future.

The company has a history of taking onboard the lessons learned in other industries. The famous Standardised Shipbuilding concept pioneered by Kommer Damen in the late 1960s, for example, borrows heavily from the successful production line processes of the automotive industry. The same can be said with Hardware in the Loop (HIL) technology – also applied in the aerospace world.

With HIL, component parts of a vessel can be pitched against realistic simulations of the stresses and strains they will encounter in the real world. The advantages of this are numerous, but amongst them is optimised build time, improved operational performance and, ultimately, significantly reduced costs of vessel ownership.

“With HIL we can check the performance before manufacturing. We have this capability in house and we work with suppliers and contractors on overcoming some complex challenges. HIL represents a big step forward towards a sustainable solution.”

Hetzelfde kan gezegd worden van de Hardware in the Loop (HIL) technologie, die ook in de vliegtuigindustrie wordt toegepast.

Met HIL kunnen scheepscomponenten in de ontwerpfase worden afgezet tegen realistische simulaties van de belastingen en spanningen waar zij in de werkelijkheid aan blootgesteld zouden worden. Dit heeft talrijke voordelen, inclusief de verkorte bouwtijd, verbeterde operationele prestaties en uiteindelijk aanzienlijk lagere costs of ownership.

“Met HIL kunnen we vóór de bouw de prestaties controleren. We hebben deze vaardigheid in huis en werken zo met leveranciers en onderaannemers samen om allerlei complexe uitdagingen te overwinnen. HIL vormt een grote stap vooruit naar duurzame oplossingen.”

A stepping stone to a new age

Full sustainability is offered by the all-electric solution. This, states Henk, is the future. And Damen is already there.

“We have developed an all-electric sightseeing boat for the picturesque canals of Amsterdam – though, naturally, the principle could be applied to other locations as well.”

In typical Damen fashion, Damen’s solution is standard, but flexible.

“We have developed a technical platform to be used for multiple solutions on the topside – open-top, classic and modern, giving clients flexibility to have their custom requirements on a standard, proven vessel. In fact, we encourage clients to come to us with their own designs. This way we know we are producing something aligned with market needs.”

The idea is to cater to the growing number of tourists that visit the city each year, at the same time improving on environmental performance via reduced sound and emissions.

“This is a stepping stone into a new age of emission free, silent, comfortable means of transportation. No rattling, no black smoke – it will be easier to listen to the commentary for one thing!”

Damen is also working on a full maintenance package for this type of vessel once it is operational.

“This is very much in keeping with the Damen philosophy. As a family company, Damen takes a long-term view in everything it does – including our relationships with our customers. With that in mind, we don’t like to just deliver a vessel, we aim to provide support for our clients into the future. Which is exactly why sustainability is of such great importance to us.”

 

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Damen Passenger Car Ferries
Damen Research & Development
Damen Electric Vessels
Public Transport
RoPax Ferry