Scandlines to convert two ferries to plug-in hybrids by 2026

Scandlines will convert two of its ferries on the Puttgarden–Rødby route into plug-in hybrids by early 2026, as part of a €31 million investment aimed at modernising its fleet and reducing "[direct] local emissions", the company said.

The ferry operator has signed a contract with Lithuania’s Western Shiprepair, part of the BLRT Repair Yards group, to carry out the conversions. Work on the first vessel will begin at the end of August, followed by the second in December.

The two ferries will each be fitted with a five-MWh battery system, enabling them to complete a crossing after 12 minutes of charging at port facilities in both Puttgarden and Rødby.

The initiative is part of the company’s broader strategy to become a "[direct] local emission-free" operator by 2040. Scandlines said the conversion is being supported by Germany’s Ministry of Transport, which is covering up to 40 per cent of project costs through a programme to modernise coastal vessels and reduce emissions.