Norway-based Zinus, a supplier of shore power products and autonomous solutions for powers and vessels, has secured a contract with Penguin Shipyard International in Singapore for the delivery of a fully automatic charging solution for three fully electric passenger catamarans.
The supply scope will culminate with the installation of three charging towers on land and a further six receiving units being installed on board the sustainable vessels for charging plugs. Zinus’s system can deliver a current of 4,400A and will enable the electric ferries to connect to a power supply in just 20 seconds.
Constructed by the Penguin Shipyard for Shell, the three vessels will be responsible for transporting workers from Shell Energy and Chemicals Park on the island of Pulau Bukom near to Singapore. Working as part of the energy company’s sustainability program, the vessels are said to be the first fully electric ferry service used by Shell globally and the first of their type in Singapore.
Having collaborated with Penguin since autumn 2021, the shipyard chose the Zinus charging solution because of its flexibility and minimal footprint. The three charging towers and six charging connections are scheduled for delivery to the yard in October 2022. Penguin will operate the three passenger catamarans when they begin serving a route between Singapore and Pulau Bukom in the first half 2023.
“This is an especially important order for Zinus, and we are pleased with our agreement with the renowned Penguin Shipyard,” commented Endre Eidsvik, CEO, Zinus. “The contract marks our breakthrough in Asia and is a key milestone that strengthens our position internationally. We see Singapore as a very interesting market by virtue of its great focus on environment and sustainability.”