Leclanché SA has been selected as the battery technology provider for two hybrid vessels being built for Stena Line and Brittany Ferries. Each battery system has a capacity of 11.3 MWh, and, the RoPax (Roll on/roll off passenger) ferries will be the world’s largest hybrid vessels—surpassing Leclanché’s prior record-breaking marine projects.
These projects planned for delivery in 2024 and 2025 further consolidate Leclanché’s backlog and ranks the company as a leading player in the e-marine space.
The two nearly 195-meter long hybrid E-Flexer ferries have been designed and developed by Stena RoRo (a Stena Line affiliate) in collaboration with Brittany Ferries and will be chartered on a 10-year lease to Brittany Ferries for operation between Portsmouth, United Kingdom, and the French ports of Saint-Malo and Caen.
The vessels’ hybrid propulsion system will be capable of operation using both liquified natural gas (LNG) fuel and Leclanché’s third-generation, Navius MRS-3 onboard battery storage system.
Building on the investments made over the past 4 years, the Navius MRS-3 uses Leclanché’s third-generation lithium-ion battery systems, each with a capacity of 11.3 MWh and a maximum of 940 volts. The MRS-3 comprises 65 Ah G/NMC cells fitted into the latest generation M3 Energy battery modules. Laminated ceramic separators provide protection against internal short circuits and the reduced electrolyte design minimizes the potential volume of flammable gases.
Cells and modules are produced in-house at the company’s European cell manufacturing facilities in Germany and the company’s new automated, state-of-the-art module assembly line in Switzerland.
Battery string voltages of up to 1200 VDC are available with up to 720 A string continuous discharge current. The number of cells per module has been increased to 36 from 32 allowing each module to provide 8.7 kWh of energy, representing a 13% increase over those fitted in the MRS-2.
The Navius MRS-3 battery system utilizes liquid-cooling for more efficient thermal management, a longer system lifetime and high performance in a compact footprint. Navius MRS-3 battery racks are available in 7 different heights, ranging from 845mm to 2,350mm.
The system is guaranteed for 10 years of continuous operation and is the result of several years of real-life operation and optimization. The Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) use a highly redundant structure with 46 battery strings. Delivery to the Navy yards is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2023.
Leclanché has become the supplier of choice for a number of hybrid and fully electric vessels including the recently awarded Scandlines PR24 project, where it is currently supplying a 10 MWh Navius MRS-3 system. At the time of the purchase order, it was the world’s largest hybrid ferry, as well as the Yara Birkeland, the world’s first autonomous and fully electric container ship, proving the high level of performance of the battery systems deployed.