HGK Shipping and Wattlab pioneer hybrid solar-powered inland shipping vessel

Inland waterway shipping company HGK Shipping has joined forces with the Dutch maritime solar specialist Wattlab for what is claimed to be the world’s first hybrid solar-powered inland shipping vessel.

To that end, Wattlab delivered a solar energy system for HGK Shipping’s cargo vessel Blue Marlin. The installation of the system, consisting of 192 solar panels, took place at De Gerlien van Tiem shipyard in the Netherlands.

According to Wattlab, the solar panels will provide power to both the onboard and propulsion systems, making the Blue Marline the first inland shipping vessel capable of hybrid sailing with solar power.

This fully integrated setup enables ‘peak shaving’, where the combination of solar energy and batteries will prevent the need for activating an additional generator during high-demand periods. The system’s automated energy management will distribute electrical energy where and when it is required, increasing efficiency and reducing fuel consumption, Wattlab explained.

HGK Shipping and Wattlab have previously collaborated on a 135-meter-long dry cargo vessel, MS Helios,