The electric fish farm vessel Elfrida has completed a six-month trial of a battery powered propulsion system.
In operation since February 2017, the vessel provides up to 12 knots speed and a full eight-hour shift per charge.
According to battery supplier Plan B Energy Storage (PBES), not only does the system eliminate emissions, the fact there is no noise, vibration or diesel fumes provides greater crew comfort, less fatigue and leads to safer working conditions onboard. The vessel requires no diesel fuel, dramatically reducing operating costs.
"We see this as crucial preparation for a low-carbon future," said Roger Bekken, Managing Director of Salmar, Norwegian aquaculture company and the vessel's owner.
"The PBES battery system onboard Elfrida was one of the first we installed in a working vessel and proves the technology is well suited to fish farming," said Grant Brown, Vice President, Marketing at PBES. "We envision the entire fleet of Norwegian aquaculture and fishing vessels to either run as hybrid or on full battery propulsion."