Volvo Penta EU Marine Stage V power Kiel electric ferries

Like many European regions, the province, in northern Germany, has adopted a green way of thinking and investing in their inland waterways (IWW). So it was no surprise that when it came to upgrading the city’s 55-year-old fleet of 11 canal ferries they wanted to go electric. They opted for the support of the latest emission-controlled gensets for complete Diesel Electric operation. With Volvo Penta offering the most compact and efficient IWW stage V certified solution on the market, the D8-MH genset EU Stage V was the obvious choice.

Round the clock support
The ferry operator, WSA Nord-Ostsee-Kanal, has a longstanding history of working with Volvo Penta and trusts the products and service network.

“We selected Volvo Penta as a partner, due to the 24/7 operation time of the ferries. Volvo Penta can secure spare parts delivery in 24 hours and has a renowned service network – that we know and trust,” says Thomas Wrodarczk, Shipmaster at WSA Nord-Ostsee-Kanal.

Proven fuel-saving technology
The D8 genset was also chosen for these upgrades because of its size and the fact that it is a fuel-efficient low emissions engine – thanks, in part, to its Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) after-treatment system.

Volvo Penta’s SCR solution is already a proven success in the company’s IMO Tier III solutions. Since 2018, Volvo Penta’s SCR solution has been successfully powering a wide range of demanding marine commercial applications.

The Volvo Penta SCR solution was adapted for demanding marine conditions and was tested extensively at the Volvo Penta facilities and has now had many hours of operation across diverse types of vessels. The system is built to cope with high sulfur fuel 1,000 ppm and sustain high backpressure while maintaining engine efficiency and drivability.

“This D8 and the D13 EU Stage V engines are big steps in Volvo Penta's sustainability commitments to meeting the most challenging emissions regulations,” explains Jan-Willem Vissers, Volvo Penta’s Director of Marine Commercial Sales Global. “We’re helping our customers move with the times, comfortably and efficiently.” 

Easy installation & operation
Volvo Penta’s SCR solution offers a complete system approach with a convenient single point of contact and source of aftermarket support. The units have multiple outlets that make installation flexible, especially useful when repowering, where the efficient use of machine room space has been a top priority. 

“The power output of the engine fits the requirements of this vessel perfectly when there is no power available from the shore connection,” says Jan Willem. “Additionally, it only has a few major components – the tank, pump, management system, and catalyst and urea injectors – which makes installation and operation simple.”

The gensets were combined with the E-System, with a capacity of 2 x 237 kW– a straightforward installation for Estonia boatbuilding Baltic Work Boats. The first of this new fleet, named Arlau, has been in operation since April 2021 and measures 30m in length with a beam of 9.6m. Another two vessels will be upgraded in 2022 with eight more upgrades to follow in the coming years.

Charging into the future
“I’m proud that our company has invested in green hybrid technology,” concludes Thomas Wrodarczk. “We must all think about how we can make the environment cleaner for future generations.”

“Volvo Penta is committed to developing marine products that are emission compliant,” explains Jan-Willem Vissers. “As a company, we have leveraged the well-proven legacy of Volvo Penta products to develop marine products for the EU Stage V marine for Inland Waterway certification. We have done so to support our current customer base and futureproof our products.”

For more information, please contact:

Jennifer Humphrey
Brand, Communication and Marketing
AB Volvo Penta
Tel: int +46 (0) 31323 30 55
Email: jennifer.humphrey@volvo.com