Marell Boats and Scania to develop eco-friendly, hybrid interceptor

Swedish companies Marell Boats and Scania Power Solutions have joined forces to develop an eco-friendly interceptor with a hybrid driveline, M17 Patrol.

As informed, the companies have teamed up to create a sustainable vessel to meet the increased demand for hybrid solutions. The partnership is covering development, testing, and marketing, while the objective is to lead the shift towards a sustainable maritime transport system.

The M17 is based on Marell’s M15 platform. The ship will measure 17.4 meters in length and have an overall beam of 4.3 meters.

The interceptor is being developed in response to requests from operators, police, military, and other government agencies for high-performance boats with hybrid drive systems that can operate at high speeds during long-distance transits with low environmental impact, according to the companies.

At the same time, the boat should be able to operate quietly, efficiently, and in an environmentally friendly way in ports, during patrol missions, and on offshore wind farms operations.

“The new M17 Scania Hybrid offers all the capabilities and functions that you can expect from Scania, i.e., electrification and a combustion engine that can run on renewable fuels,” said Torben Dabrowski, Global e-Mobility Sales Development.

“When we are developing Scania’s future hybrid and full electric power systems, the conclusion is that these can be highly beneficial in many different applications, for example a powertrain with instant response, exceptional torque and seamless transitions.”

The partners expect they will have their first M17 Patrol with a hybrid driveline in operation by fall 2022.

“Overall, this is a major step towards environmentally friendly vessels as well as an important stepping-stone towards full electrification of commercial craft. The M17 Patrol will become the most energy efficient hybrid high-speed craft in the commercial market when it will be launched later this year,” the companies concluded.