Norwegian shipping company Eitzen Group has received funding from Innovation Fund Norway to build two battery-powered container feeders that could well be the largest of their kind when delivered.
Energy research and development agency Enova has awarded Eitzen subsidiary Avanti a total ofscrap $19 million to support two 850 TEU portal pipelines powered by 100 MWh batteries. The new pipelines will support a shipping route connecting Norway with Germany and Sweden.
In addition to the grant for Eitzen, the Port of Oslo will receive an additional $2 million from Enova for a new electric vehicle charging station at the Sjursoya container terminal, which will power two new vessels.
The containership projects are the highlight of the funding round, but there are many others. Norwegian company Polar Energy Shipco will also receive $9 million in funding for an electric bulk carrier; Brim Explorer will receive $4 million for two high-speed electric passenger trimarans; and salmon farming company Lovundlaks will receive about $5 million for two electric workboats.
“Each of these projects demonstrates in its own way the potential of battery electrification in shipping. The technology is now mature and the projects are there,” said Andreas Forsnes Jan, senior advisor for maritime transport at Enova. “If the electrification of car ferries was the first wave, we hope this will be the beginning of the second wave of electrification in short sea shipping.”
Norway was one of the early leaders in electric ferry technology, and the Norwegian owner started the trend towards electric container ships with the delivery of Yara Birkeland in 2022. Chinese companies have also invested in battery-electric coastal ferries, including orders from Ningbo Ocean Shipping and China COSCO, the owner of the current record-breaking vessel.