World’s First Solar-Hybrid Inland Shipping Vessel Begins Operation

HGK Shipping has launched into operation the world’s first solar-hybrid inland shipping vessel - the Blue Marlin. Fitted with a novel ‘solar hatch’ the vessel is able to generate up to 37,500 kilowatt-hours per annum which can be used to power onboard machinery, or for propulsion. 

The dry goods vessel has been designed and constructed for Salzgitter AG - a major German producer of steel - and will mainly transport steel and bulk materials along the network of canals in north-west Germany. It is expected that it will make the logistics operations of Salzgitter AG more environmentally sustainable. 

Blue Marlin has been designed to be optimised for canals - being 86 metres long, 9.50 metres wide and requiring a navigable draft of only 1.10 metres. It also features an efficient drive concept with two Veth rudder propellers and an additional bow thruster. Thanks to these propellers and thruster, the Blue Marlin can be coupled to a push barge to transport loads of up to 3,110 tonnes.

Commenting on the launch of the vessel, Florian Bleikamp, the Managing Director of HGK Dry Shipping, said: 

“The close partnership with Salzgitter AG is enabling us to specifically complete forward-looking projects. As we work together, we’re able to put innovative ideas into practice: ranging from emission-free solar technology to remote-controlled navigation for the vessels and even resource-saving drive systems in our fleet. 

The ‘Blue Marlin’ is a strong symbol of what industry and logistics can achieve when they work in tandem”.

His comments were echoed by Fabian Gerdes, Head of Customer Logistics at Salzgitter Flachstahl: 

“We’re using this innovative vessel to continue our efforts to cut CO2 emissions and improve the efficiency and resilience of our supply chains. To achieve this, we’re increasingly relying on inland waterway shipping, which is particularly environmentally-friendly when compared to other means of transport. 

In this sense, the ‘Blue Marlin’ plays a key role in enabling climate-friendly transport operations for our steel products and bulk materials. It’s helping us to achieve a significant improvement in our carbon footprint in logistics, and it therefore perfectly matches the course that we’ve adopted to achieve greater sustainability”.

According to a statement from HGK Dry Shipping, Blue Marlin’s solar tech really will make it significantly more sustainable; the power that is generated by the vessel’s solar hatch will enable temporary emission-free operations, cutting CO2 emissions by up to 36,000 kilograms every year. The Blue Marlin has already been awarded the ‘Gold’ Green Award in recognition of its sustainable design.

Blue Marlin does not only have a novel ‘solar hatch’, but is also equipped with SEAFAR technology. This technology allows for remote-controlled operation of the vessel and has been approved by the German General Directorate for Waterways and Shipping (GDWS).

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