A pioneering diesel-electric hybrid ferry MV Hallaig, owned by the Scottish government and built by Caledonian Maritime Assets (CMAL), is shown in today’s image of the day.
She was launched in December 2012 as the first commercial ship to be fully built and delivered on the Clyde in over five years.
MV Hallaig is the first of two roll-on roll-off hybrid ferries propelled by the combination of diesel-electric and lithium-ion battery power.
To reduce the load on the diesel engine, the ferry’s two lithium batteries are charged overnight via a land cable.
MV Hallaig and her sister MV Lochinvar, have already achieved savings of 38%.
But looks like these two were just the beginning of the hybrid era on the Clyde, because CMAL is currently working on the third ship of the same class, equipped with Voith Schneider propellers.
World Maritime News Staff; Image: VOITH