Green energy solutions firm Ken Energy has signed a letter of intent with the Coastal Sustainability Alliance (CSA) April 24 to purchase fully-electric supply (e-supply) boats from leading offshore marine engineering company, PaxOcean. The e-supply boats will be one of the first zero-emissions electric vessels to operate in the region and amongst the first to be designed, built and deployed in Singapore.
PaxOcean has designed and engineered the first-generation e-supply boat PXO-EXL-1, which will play an integral role in supporting coastal ships’ supply deliveries with improved energy and operational efficiencies. The e-supply vessel has received in-principal approval from the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), Bureau Veritas Marine, and Registro Italiano Navale (RINA).
Additionally, PaxOcean and CSA member Technology Centre for Offshore and Marine Singapore (TCOMS) are collaborating to create digital twins of the electric vessels, thus enabling optimal operational performance while considering the various metocean conditions in which the ship will operate.
The PXO e-supply vessels are expected to operate in tandem with the charging electric infrastructure network made available in partnership with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and Jurong Port. This deployment is ahead of MPA’s directive that all new harbor crafts must be fully electric, capable of using B100 biofuel or compatible with net-zero fuels by 2030.
CSA is on track to build Singapore’s next-generation coastal ecosystem
Besides the commercial sale of the PXO e-vessels, CSA is also working on a demand consolidation system with major ship owners and managers to increase operational and cost efficiencies. This will be achieved through optimized routing and utilization of return vessels, thus reducing voyage costs.
In line with CSA’s objectives to strengthen the competitiveness of SMEs in Singapore and uplift the maritime industry’s value chain, over 70% of the e-supply boat components are sourced from local SMEs. This will generate business opportunities for at least seven SMEs, resulting in a more resilient maritime business ecosystem.
Photo credit: PaxOcean, Ken Energy, Coastal Sustainability Alliance. E-supply boat PXO.
