New setup for Becker’s Cobra battery division

Becker Marine Systems’ (BMS) Compact Battery Rack (Cobra), developed by the company over the last six years, is now owned by Lehmann Marine, established at the beginning of this year as a subsidiary of Family Office Höpen GmbH. Both Höpen and the Lehmann family remain shareholders in Becker Marine Systems.

The scalable battery system is used on inland waterway craft and seagoing vessels and has already established a notable track record. A Cobra battery system was installed recently on Hamburg Port Authority’s workboat, Chicago, at the Hitzler Shipyard in Lauenburg, and the hybrid ferry, Linsand, also has a Cobra battery pack. A number of other projects are at “an advanced phase”, the new company said.

Cobra batteries are based on lithium ferro phosphate (LFP) cell technology and come in a compact design. The modular arrangement means that systems are scalable from a few kWh to several MWh. A Cobra battery rack can comprise up to eight modules with a capacity of 94 kWh per rack.

Godehard Gauf, a joint managing director of Lehman Marine, commented: “After we pushed ahead with the development of Cobra at Becker Marine Systems over the past six years, the product stands on its own two feet.” All 19 employees in the Cobra division have been transferred to Lehmann Marine. The other managing director, Alexander Lehmann, revealed that the company is already looking for more personnel, especially for production at the company’s site just south of Hamburg. Lehmann Marine is also involved in the development of other environmentally friendly energy systems for the maritime sector under the ‘Made in Germany’ banner.