Member Spotlight: Royal Bodewes
This month, we shine the spotlight on Royal Bodewes, a Dutch family-owned shipyard with a history dating back to 1812 and a strong reputation for delivering innovative, high-quality vessels. Known for their forward-thinking approach, Royal Bodewes has become a leader in green shipbuilding and a pioneer in the electrification of the maritime industry.
Hybrid Vessel for Aasen Shipping by Royal Bodewes
Building the World’s First Hybrid Cargo Vessel
Royal Bodewes made history by building the first-ever newbuild hybrid cargo vessel, the MV Aasfjell. Since then, the company has delivered five hybrid vessels, with another nine currently under construction. These vessels have gained recognition for their fuel efficiency and performance, particularly through peak shaving technology, which optimizes power usage and reduces emissions.
Their consistent success has earned them repeat orders and a reputation as one of the most reliable and innovative shipyards in Europe for hybrid vessel construction.
Commitment to Green Shipping
Sustainability is at the core of Royal Bodewes’ strategy. By embracing hybrid propulsion and collaborating with electrical system integrators and battery suppliers, the shipyard is helping shipowners reduce their environmental footprint while maintaining strong operational performance.
The company sees batteries not just as a compliance tool, but as a real game-changer in ship design and cargo operations. They are actively working on both hybrid and fully electric projects, ensuring that their vessels are future-ready for a greener maritime sector.
Voices from Business Development
Carlijn and Martijn from Royal Bodewes’ Business Development team highlight the importance of collaboration across the industry. By engaging with customers, subcontractors, financing parties, and partners through the Maritime Battery Forum (MBF), they gain deeper insights into the latest developments in marine electrification.
They emphasize their ambition to see more vessels with battery packages on board, underscoring their belief in the advantages and long-term potential of maritime battery technologies.
Challenges and Opportunities
While the benefits are clear, Royal Bodewes points out that cost remains the main challenge. Even though battery prices are showing a gradual downward trend, the initial investment is still significant, and shipowners must carefully calculate the return on investment.
However, Royal Bodewes remains optimistic:
“We know from our proven designs what an incredible impact the batteries can have on the sailing profile and cargo operations.”
Looking Ahead
Royal Bodewes is determined to keep pushing boundaries in green shipbuilding, with maritime batteries playing a central role in their designs. With their strong track record, innovative mindset, and commitment to sustainability, the future looks bright for this pioneering shipyard.
About the Maritime Battery Forum
The Maritime Battery Forum was founded with the aim of promoting new and efficient energy storage technologies in the maritime industry. With over 90 members in 3 continents, the MBF works to disseminate information, facilitate discussion about and review new technology which is complementary to battery technology-based solutions or in one way or the other play an important role towards a zero-emission vision.
Contact :
Ayomide Miracle Salifu
Community & Communications Manager
Email : ayomidesalifu@maritimebatteryforum.com
Website: www.maritimebatteryforum.com
