The first ever green hydrogen and electricity-powered ship in Lithuania, commissioned by the Klaipėda State Seaport Authority, has been moved from shipyard into water. The €12 million tanker’s main function is to collect storm water, sewage, sludge and garbage in the Klaipėda Port, as well as to ensure efficient waste management.
Vessels are obliged to hand over the waste they produce when they arrive and before they leave Klaipėda Port. The Seaport Authority was entrusted to collect the waste, and opted for environmentally friendly green hydrogen and electricity to further improve the quality of the ship waste collection service.
“We have not only launched a tanker, but also a new approach to port operations – cleaner, smarter and more environmentally friendly,” said Algis Latakas, Director General of Klaipėda State Seaport Authority. “This first ever hydrogen and electricity-powered ship is not only an innovative technological solution, but also an important step in strengthening Lithuania’s image as a modern maritime nation.”
“At the moment,” he continued, “the tanker is getting used to the seaport water, so to speak, and at the end of the year we expect it to start its important mission of taking care of the clean seaport environment. Such a decision will not leave a footprint on nature, but it will certainly leave a strong mark on our path to a greener future.”
The seaport authority said the vessel will be equipped with special tanks and a rainwater treatment plant that will allow the treated water to be transferred to the city’s sewage treatment plants. The tanker will be ready to work around the clock and collect up to 400 cubic meters of liquid waste.
The tanker is 42 meters long and 10 meters wide. The ship’s power system will consist of two electric motors powered by 2,000 kWh batteries and a hydrogen fuel cell system. Depending on the intensity of the work, the tanker will be able to operate in the port for up to 36 hours without additional power charging.
This ship building project was commissioned by the Port Authority and is being built by West Baltic Shipyard together with Baltic Workboats under a joint operating agreement.
