Eekels | TBI and KWx play an active role in electrifying the ship market

Eekels is currently providing systems for two fully-electric ferries. The ferries are being built by Damen Shipyards in Romania and will operate on Lake Ontario in Canada. Both ships will be entirely battery-powered. While passengers and vehicles are boarding and deboarding the ferry, the vessel will have a window of approximately 10 minutes to charge its batteries using a charging station at the dock. According to Damen, making the two ferries fully electric will prevent the emission of 7 million kg of carbon dioxide. As system integrator, Eekels has designed a solution that achieves extensive integration of the Marpower Drives (electric motor and DC [direct current] distribution) and Automation (Alarm, Monitoring & Control + Power Management) systems. Today, thanks in part to excellent support from suppliers such as KWx, it has become possible to deliver these complex systems.