MBF and CharIN e.V. have signed a MoU to jointly promote battery charging standards in the maritime industry
The Charging Interface Initiative (CharIN) e.V. and the Maritime Battery Forum (MBF) have agreed to collaborate with the aim to promote battery charging standards in the maritime industry. The expertise of CharIN regarding charging infrastructure combined with the global network of maritime battery enablers within the MBF will accelerate the adoption of batteries on board of ships with a standard for charging at Megawatt (MW) scale.
There are currently more than 600 ships globally with batteries installed as part of the propulsion system. Although this is only a fraction of the global fleet, the installed battery capacity on board of ships is increasing rapidly. Although 2021 showed a small dip in the installed capacity on board of ships, for 2022 so far at least 180 MWh is predicted to be installed.
Total installed battery capacity on board of ships annually (source: MBF Ship Register)
Although the majority of ships that use large battery systems for propulsion are ferries, the maritime industry is discovering that batteries can be used for all kinds of vessels. Currently, about 25% of the battery powered ships are only powered by batteries, another 25% are plug-in hybrid, and the remaining 50% are hybrid without the possibility to charge them with a shore based charging system. With an average installed battery capacity of 1.2 MWh in 2022, and this is expected to increase further, the required charging power for ships is often in the MW range. The Megawatt Charging System (MCS) is expected to accelerate the adoption of MW charging in the maritime sector, increasing the number of plug-in hybrids compared to hybrid ships, which will be a major step in the reduction of emissions in and around ports.
Information about CharIN e.V.
CharIN - Charging Interface Initiative e. V. is a non-profit organization with more than 280 members around the globe and open to any company worldwide being involved in the business around e-mobility. Under the CharIN umbrella, cross-industry stakeholders like automakers, charging station manufacturers, component suppliers, energy providers, grid operators and many others continue moving towards interoperable charging, where vehicles, chargers, and software systems work together to make the user experience reliable, easy and smooth.
More information: www.charin.global