The Dutch specialist for maritime solar energy utilization, Wattlab, has supplied a solar energy system for HGK Shipping’s inland vessel Blue Marlin. The 192 solar modules with an output of 35 kilowatts supply both the on-board and propulsion systems with electricity, according to Wattlab. According to Wattlab, this makes the Blue Marlin the first inland vessel in the world that can run on hybrid solar energy. HGK Shipping is a European inland shipping company with a fleet of 350 ships and an annual freight volume of around 43 million tons.
Wattlab has worked with HGK Shipping before. In the second quarter of 2024, HGK’s 135-meter long dry cargo vessel MS Helios was entered into the Guinness Book of Records with the world’s largest solar installation on an inland vessel. The MS Helios is equipped with 312 solar modules.
However, the solar energy systems of the Helios and the Blue Marlin differ in one crucial respect. While the Helios used solar energy exclusively for low-voltage on-board systems (hotel systems), the Blue Marlin has a fully integrated system. This supplies the ship’s high-voltage propulsion system directly with electricity. This is a technical milestone, according to Wattlab co-founder and COO David Kester. »HGK Shipping can proudly claim to be the first inland shipping company to operate a ship that uses solar energy directly for propulsion.«
The installation of the Blue Marlin’s solar panels was carried out at the De Gerlien van Tiem shipyard, with Wattlab working together with Blommaert Aluminum and Van Tiem Electro. »We have been working with these partners for some time now – on several ships – and have been able to significantly optimize the processes as a result. The Blue Marlin is a new build. Installation took about a week and commissioning only a few days,« adds Kester.
© PHOTON
