The Netherlands-based energy storage specialist EST-Floattech will provide its Octopus Lite battery systems for six new 11,000 DWT general cargo vessels being built by Ferus Smit Shipyard in the Netherlands for Ireland’s Arklow Shipping.
The company has worked with Ferus Smit and Eekels Technology, which supplies the vessels’ electrical systems, to design battery configurations tailored to the ships’ sailing profiles. This collaboration aims to enhance operational performance for Arklow Shipping.
The Octopus Lite systems will support grid stabilization during sailing and supply power for key onboard functions such as loading, unloading, and operating the vessel’s electric excavator. They will also power the bow thruster and enable zero-emission port stays, reducing CO₂ and other emissions across vessel operations.
Patrick Kuiper, Mechanical Designer at Ferus Smit Shipyard, said the shipbuilder selected EST-Floattech based on its track record of reliability and service. He noted that the modular battery design allows future capacity upgrades during the vessels’ lifespan.
The first vessel is scheduled for delivery in 2026, with the final unit expected in 2029.
EST-Floattech’s Octopus series complies with regulations from RINA, Bureau Veritas (BV), Lloyd’s Register (LR), and DNV. The company’s battery systems have also been selected by UK shipbuilders Coastal Workboats and Wight Shipyard for hybrid and electric vessels under separate projects in 2024.
