Standardised battery for inland shipping

Rotterdam-based technology company Wattlab has created a standardised battery energy storage system for inland shipping that is designed to be installed onboard in a day. The system, called WEstack, addresses the high cost and extended installation times associated with conventional marine battery installations.

Where existing systems are typically fully customised and require several weeks of shipyard work, WEstack is assembled and tested in Wattlab’s workshop before delivery. Onboard, the system requires only an AC connection to the vessel’s electrical system and communication wiring, reducing installation to a single working day.

The inefficiency of generator operation on inland vessels underpins its case, the firm says.

“Generators on vessels operate most of the time at only 10 to...