Baltic Workboats and BLRT Grupp subsidiary Western Baltija Shipbuilding are to develop an all-electric waste collection tanker for the Port of Klaipeda in Lithuania. The contract, valued at nearly US$12 million, will see the creation of a 42m x 10m tanker with the capacity to carry up to 400m3 of liquid waste and rainwater collected from ships arriving at the port. Delivery is anticipated in 2025.
The tanker’s design is being handled by Western Baltic Engineering, another BLRT Grupp subsidiary, and will be arranged for 24/7 operations by a three-person crew. Meanwhile, Baltic Workboats will look after installation of the vessel’s electric propulsion and control solution, as well as outfitting of the interior areas.
The tanker will draw on 2,000 kWh of installed battery power, granting it an endurance of eight hours when sailing continuously at 8knots before a recharge is required. There will also be a high degree of onboard automation, to help the crew to keep tabs on the vessel’s power consumption and overall operational efficiency.
Baltic Workboats adds: “We have built hybrid and electric ferries and patrol vessels in the past, and are excited to build our first tanker with fully electric propulsion. What makes us especially proud is that it will sail in one of the Baltic states. We are anticipating working together with the Port of Klaipeda again, having built workboats and pilot boats for them in the past.”
