Page 8: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Nov/Dec 2020)

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LEADING OFF HYBRID POWER

Source: Kongsberg Maritime

ISLAND CRUSADER

On the back of a deal struck by Norway’s Kongsberg Maritime to supply turnkey hybrid battery solutions for 3 Island Ofshore’s platform supply vessels, Ofshore Engineer interviewed Geir Oscar Løseth, Kongsberg Maritime’s General Manager Sales, Advanced

Oferings, to learn more about the push to get more ofshore vessels to go hybrid.

OE: What is behind the Norwegian offshore support vessel derstanding of how their vessels are used. This has aided us in sector’s increasing drive to install batteries and go hybrid? producing an ideal solution for the customer, which will adapt

Løseth: Batteries and hybrid technologies are a key strategy for and scale for use on similar vessels.

reducing fuel consumption and, consequently, emissions. Mov- ing towards electric drive is also important in reducing mainte- OE: How expensive is such an investment for an OSV nance costs and meeting charter requirements. Kongsberg Mari- owner in Norway? What is the payback time? Is there gov- time is proud to offer vessels and technologies that are both more ernment support?

ef?cient and safer than previous standards, which is vital both for Løseth: A typical turnkey solution costs NOK 18 million -23 sustainability and safeguarding business in today’s tough market. million [$1.96 million - 2.51 million]. Without funding, the typical payback time is 4-6 years. However, in Norway, there

OE: You’ve recently received an order to upgrade three Is- are several government ?nancial initiatives, ENOVA and NOX land Offshore’s PSV’s to run on hybrid power, including a Fund being key enablers for several projects of this type. lithium-ion battery solution. Kongsberg has said that Island

Offshore has set “a clear precedent in the market” by con- OE: Can you talk about charging patterns, capacity, capabilities, tracting Kongsberg for the upgrade. How so? battery lifetime? How much have things progressed in this space?

Løseth: Kongsberg Maritime has cooperated closely with If you can draw a comparison with smartphones, where charging

Island Offshore for many years and has developed a deep un- times are going down, and battery capacity is increasing.

8 OFFSHORE ENGINEER OEDIGITAL.COM