VESSEL REVIEW | Yonggangyin No 02 – Hybrid pilot boat to serve China’s Ningbo Zhoushan Port
China's Jiangxi Jiangxin Shipbuilding recently handed over a new pilot boat to local operator Ningbo Dagang Pilotage.
The steel-hulled Yonggangyin No 02 (甬港引02号) is notable for being one of the largest hybrid-powered pilot boats to be built in China, with an LOA of 40 metres (130 feet), a beam of 7.4 metres (24 feet), and a depth of 3.4 metres (11 feet).
Hybrid arrangement allowing various operating modes
A hybrid electric arrangement of two 6,600kW diesel generators and a 200kWh lithium battery pack drives two propellers to deliver a service speed of 15 knots and a range of 600 nautical miles, while solar panels help generate additional electrical power to be used by the various onboard systems.
The generators and the batteries can be operated simultaneously in boost mode, though either the generators or the batteries may be used exclusively for navigation. For example, when entering or leaving busy port waters, the batteries will be utilised because of their lower noise and emissions.
Advanced energy management ensuring optimal energy use
The batteries may also be charged when the generators are in use, thus reducing the need for the vessel to return to port and plug into a shore charging facility.
The hybrid propulsion ensures that the new pilot boat can operate with significantly reduced noise, energy consumption and environmental impact without any compromise in performance. An intelligent energy management system can automatically optimise the energy allocation according to different working conditions, thus significantly reducing fuel consumption and pollution emissions.
The hybrid arrangement will help ensure 39 per cent lower energy consumption and 45 per cent fewer CO2 emissions compared to conventional propulsion systems.
Construction of Yonggangyin No 02 was completed in compliance with China Classification Society rules. The vessel will be used mainly to provide inbound and outbound pilotage services of Chinese and foreign ships in the Port of Ningbo Zhoushan.
