Port of Gothenburg waste-collecting vessel to undergo hybrid power refit

A service vessel slated for operation at Sweden’s Port of Gothenburg will be fitted with a hybrid propulsion system upon completion of a conversion program due to commence in the second quarter of 2022.

Upon completion of the refit, the 46-metre Northern Skagerrak will run mainly on electrical power though it will also have an auxiliary engine that will be fueled by renewable hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO).

The vessel will be used to collect oily engine room waste from ships arriving at the Port of Gothenburg. The Gothenburg Port Authority procured the service from Northern Energy and Supply and the service vessel will begin operating following the conversion program.

All ports in Sweden are obliged to receive sludge from ships arriving at the port.

During operation, the vessels accumulate sludge, which is essentially wastewater containing a mixture of oil residue, cleaning agents, and solvents. The ships leave the wastewater to the port, then it is transported to a purification plant where oil and heavy-metal contaminants are separated from the water.