Hybrid whale-watcher enters service
The electric ship Brim Explorer has entered service in Tromsø as one of the world’s first hybrid-electric powered aluminium whale watching vessels (Source: Brim)
An aluminium-hulled whale-watching vessel, Brim Explorer, powered by electricity, has entered service in its home port of Tromsø in Norway. The 140-passenger ship, built at Maritime Partner shipyard in Ålesund, has a Corvus Energy battery package which can be easily charged from a 400V, 124-amp industrial power outlet, a driveline supplied by Servogear and a power integration system from Brunvoll Mar-El.
The brainchild of Brim chief executive and co-founder, Agnes Arnadottir, the vessel has completed a month of trials and is now taking tourists on trips from Tromsø to view Norway’s northern fjords, often in complete silence.
Arnadottir set up Brim jointly with Espen Larsen-Hakkebo, the company’s CFO, two years ago. Together they raised NOK 46 million for the project which involved identifying a shipyard and suitable suppliers for a completely novel vessel design.
Brim already has a second vessel nearing completion and set to enter service in Spitsbergen on the remote Northern island of Svalbard. This will be the first ultra-clean vessel specifically built to Polar regulations. The vessel will be operated in conjunction with the Norwegian cruise and ferry operator Hurtigruten, allowing passengers and guests from Hurtigruten to enter waters that may be off limits to other cruise tourists.
