Electric car ferry for Lübeck successfully transferred

Successful transfer

Stralsund, November 2023 - After the new electric car ferry for the Hanseatic City of Lübeck was launched by ship lift in Stralsund on the grounds of the Volkswerft Maritime Industrial and Commercial Park, the double-ended ferry has now been transferred to the Hanseatic City of Lübeck. The modern ship was built by Ostseestaal GmbH & Co. KG and its subsidiary Ampereship on behalf of Stadtwerke Lübeck Mobil GmbH. The ferry's keel was laid in the large Volkswerft shipbuilding hall. In future, it will connect the Lübeck district of Travemünde with the Priwall peninsula, which also belongs to the Hanseatic city. 

„The Priwall ferry marks another milestone in the production of electric-solar ships for inland shipping at Ostseestaal and Ampereship,“ emphasises Philipp Peuß, Marketing Manager at Ostseestaal and Ampereship. „This is the second time that an electrically powered ferry is being built in the company group, which will transport vehicles as well as passengers. It is the largest project of its kind for us to date.“ The new 37 metre long and 13.5 metre wide vessel can take up to 300 passengers, 15 bicycles and 18 cars or 12 cars plus two trucks on board for the 240 metre long crossing across the River Trave.

The Priwall ferry has proven to be a very complex and challenging shipbuilding project in terms of construction and ship operation. „Different options, such as hydrogen or fully electric batteries, were deliberately kept open for a completely emission-free propulsion system for the ferry, which is made of steel,“ emphasises Ingo Schillinger, the responsible Business Unit Manager at Ampereship. „The decision as to which type of propulsion will be used in the future is still open.“ However, the new ship can subsequently be converted with minimal effort. For the time being, it still needs a range extender in the form of a diesel generator to extend its range. Nevertheless, the ferry will be able to operate over 50 per cent fully electrically every day during the first phase of operation on the Trave and will be completely emission-free during this time.“

Powered by two 260 kW Voith electric generators, the car ferry will be in operation on the River Trave for up to 24 hours a day, says manager Ingo Schillinger, explaining the special shipbuilding and engineering challenge. The ship will travel at a service speed of 6 km/h. A maximum speed of 14 km/h is possible. A maximum speed of 14 km/h is possible.

The Priwall car ferry is now the 17th electric solar-powered vessel built by Ostseestaal and Ampereship.

Facts & figures about the Priwall ferry