Damen delivers first full hybrid patrol vessel to Amsterdam’s Waternet Foundation
Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld has delivered the “Damen Patrol Vessel 1304 Hybrid”, designed and constructed for Waternet (the Water Network Foundation). It is first full hybrid vessel in the history of Damen Shipyards Group. The most striking features of the vessel are that it is clean, quiet and can sail under Amsterdam’s bridges along all the main routes and corridors. The “Waterspreeuw” (“Dipper” in English) was ceremonially named by the Amsterdam Executive Councillor for Economic Affairs, Ms Carolien Gehrels on 17 June 2013.
Waternet is an innovative organisation that takes the entire water cycle as the basis for its activities. In order to achieve its sustainability objectives, it collaborates closely with other parties. By choosing a hybrid, multifunctional vessel, Waternet is taking the lead in reducing emissions from vessels within the municipality of Amsterdam. The city’s Air Quality Action Plan plays a key role. The Waterspreeuw will be used for inspections and patrols and for enforcing various legislation and rules in Amsterdam’s canals and other waters.
The Waterspreeuw can be powered entirely by electricity with a 130 kW electrically driven rudder propeller manufactured by Hydrosta. ESTechnology supplied 13 lithium polymer batteries for the drive system, providing enough electric power for at least 6 hours at an average cruising speed of 10 km/h. The vessel also has a Steyr/AMK diesel generator set that complies with the European CCR3 standard for exhaust gas emissions set by the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine. This means that the engine easily complies with the CCR2 standard stipulated by the client.
The engine switches on automatically when the battery capacity falls below the minimum level. Using both drive systems, the Waterspreeuw has a top speed of 16 km/h; using the batteries alone, it can hold that top speed for an hour (6 hours at cruising speed). The engine provides additional capacity when necessary. However, the intention is for the vessel to operate on electric power. The Waterspreeuw is being supplied with a Zone 3 certificate issued by the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate.
The Waterspreeuw’s designers at Damen´s yard in Hardinxveld took account of the various different waters and bridges in and around Amsterdam. With its overall height of 1.80 metres, it can basically pass under all the bridges along the city’s sailing routes. The special hull design makes it a low-wash vessel, thus minimising inconvenience to houseboats during manoeuvres in Amsterdam’s busy canals. The rudder propeller and the 11 kW bow thruster ensure that the Waterspreeuw is highly manoeuvrable in the narrow canals. The new vessel has its own 3-metre spud pole, meaning that its can moor anywhere without being dependent on the mooring facilities available. With the Waterspreeuw, Damen has created a genuine ´green multi-tasker´.