Global Battery-Powered Vessel Fleet Surpasses 2,000 Ships

The Maritime Battery Forum (MBF) reported on October 8 that the global fleet of commercial vessels equipped with batteries, whether delivered or under construction, surpassed 2,000 units. Together, these ships represent approximately 2.4 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of installed maritime battery capacity, according to the organization's registry.

According to MBF data, 68% of these vessels operate in a hybrid configuration, combining batteries with another energy source such as a diesel engine or a hydrogen fuel cell. Plug-in hybrids account for 13% of the fleet, while 18% are fully electric vessels. The average installed capacity per vessel has also grown in recent years, now standing at around 1.5 MWh.

Passenger vessels make up the largest segment of the registry, with 570 ships, followed by 313 offshore vessels and 265 cargo ships. The list also includes 219 fishing vessels, 149 workboats, 145 specialized vehicles, 116 yachts, 83 tugboats and 83 cruise ships, showing that battery technology is now present across virtually every type of commercial vessel.

Europe, led by Norway, accounts for the largest share of the electrified fleet documented in the MBF registry. However, the organization warned that the actual global figure is likely higher than reported, since the registry counts only 267 vessels in China, even though that country's real battery-powered fleet is believed to be considerably larger.

Syb ten Cate Hoedemaker, Managing Director of the MBF, noted that surpassing 2,000 vessels marks a significant milestone for naval electrification, and that thanks to falling costs and technological advances, it is now feasible to build larger fully electric ships, with installations of up to 100 MWh per vessel expected in the coming years. Nevertheless, the MBF stated that market momentum alone is not enough to decarbonize global shipping and called for the adoption of the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Net-Zero Framework (NZF), which will be debated in December and aims to reduce the sector's emissions while generating funds for green investments. Madadh MacLaine, Secretary General of the Zero Emissions Ship Technology Association (ZESTAs), stressed that regulatory pressure and ambitious global frameworks are essential to scale up these technologies, and that only a global fuel standard and a pricing mechanism can drive the adoption of zero-emission technologies, including batteries.