AET lightering vessel to undergo hybrid electric retrofit

Fleetzero, a developer and manufacturer of modular propulsion platforms for hybrid and electric ships, has selected US naval architecture firm Glosten to design what is expected to be the world’s longest range hybrid electric vessel.

Glosten has been working with Fleetzero on the retrofit of a lightering support vessel owned and operated by AET, the petroleum unit of Malaysian shipping company the MISC Group. This vessel is being outfitted with a plug-in hybrid-electric propulsion system and will be able to transit primarily on battery power once the conversion is complete.

"Partnering with Glosten allows us to showcase how our propulsion technology can enable economical, cleaner, and more efficient operations," said Steven Henderson, CEO of Fleetzero.

With the vessel design already underway, Fleetzero and Glosten will transition into detailed engineering in the coming months, with construction expected to begin in the middle of 2026.

Glosten said that, once operational, the vessel will serve as a model for long-range hybrid-electric propulsion worldwide.