We need more fast chargers

Technically, we are at the point where professional boats can go electric. But the charging infrastructure needs to be in place.

The port manager of the Port of Moss, Øystein Høsteland Sundby, left no doubt in the debate on fast charging during Arendal Week. "Technologically, we are at the point where professional boats can be electric. Now it's just for operators who want to use the technology. We had our all-electric workboat delivered in April last year."

But the transition to electric boats is not without challenges. Charging infrastructure stands out as the biggest barrier. The port captain's call was clear: "Now we need to ensure a good charging network for commercial boats".

Debate leader Peder Tellefdal, on stage with Øystein Høsteland Sundby, Kristine Hjorth-Gulbrandsen and Niels Astrup during Arendal Week.

Carrot or stick

Debate leader Peder Tellefsdal wanted to know if the authorities must make demands for the market to loosen up. Høsteland Sundby believes that government decisions help, but also that more and more people see the benefits of going electric. Between Horten and Moss, Bastø-Fosen itself has chosen to use electric ferries. Asko now runs its electric sea drones on the same route.

Price is a barrier. Municipal companies in Norway can get Klimasat funds. Large players can get Enova support. But the players themselves have to be willing to put in a little extra when they invest in zero-emission solutions.

Kristine Hjorth-Gulbrandsen from Hafslund Rådgivning emphasized the importance of predictability to drive development forward:

The charging network must be in place

Private electric boats with small batteries do well with charging in home ports and guest harbors. But boats with large battery banks, such as Mosshavn's, also need a fast-charging network. "We need more fast chargers. Then the range anxiety will disappear, and it will be easier for more people to invest in electric boats," says Port Manager Høsteland Sundby.

Niels Astrup of Aqua Superpower, considered the network infrastructure to be a major challenge. "In many places it will not be profitable to pull out a high-power cable. This is where battery solutions can come into play."

Municipalities must make it easier for private individuals to set up fast chargers. The sea is always at the end of a line. "Power is a huge challenge. Everything will be electrified and competition for capacity and power is fierce. The boats will notice that," explained Hjorth-Gulbrandsen.

Innovation at high speed

Magnus Wikander, a boat builder at RISE in Sweden (the equivalent of SINTEF in Norway), presented a groundbreaking project. The Swedish Sea Rescue Society wants to become emission-free and, together with RISE, is building a 9-meter foil boat with battery-electric propulsion. The project is called SSRS X9. "This boat shows that even demanding maritime operations can be electrified," said Wikander.

Switching from fossil fuels to fossil-free requires reducing drag in the water, so that boats use less energy. RISE has already built a 6-meter foiling boat, proving that the technology works. Nevertheless, Wikander believes that different solutions should be pursued. Not all operating profiles are compatible with batteries.

"Battery electric power is expensive, so it's the boats that are used most that go electric first. That means commercial boats. But here in Sweden we have many private electric boats, like X Shore and Candela, which also need fast charging facilities," Wikander pointed out.

Magnus Wikander joined the debate digitally from Sweden.

Bureaucracy slows down

Despite technological advances, the industry faces bureaucratic obstacles. Øystein Høsteland Sundby shared his frustration: "We have been working for three years to get permission to build charging infrastructure in Moss harbor. Charging infrastructure for cars in a parking lot is not subject to application, but charging infrastructure for boats on a quay is not seen as part of the quay, so it has to be applied for," he sighed.

Aqua Superpower is one of the players that wants to develop charging infrastructure for electric boats. But permits to build out infrastructure are slow. "Norway and Sweden are at the bottom. It's much easier to get things done in Italy and California," says Niels Astrup, who represents Aqua Superpower in Norway.

"Norway is lagging behind in terms of incentives: the schemes that exist outside the EU are primarily aimed at industry, and this is how it should be in Norway too. There must be some predictable framework conditions for electric boats that must not be about innovation or research. For example, cover 50% to buy a boat or charger," Astrup advises.

The future is electric

Despite the challenges, the panel was optimistic. Niels Astrup believed that as the boating industry comes back again and sales increase, electric boats will become a natural part of the picture. "We know the electric boats are coming, so we need to get the charging infrastructure in place," he said.

Wikander added: "If it can be electrified, it will be electrified."

The way forward requires a comprehensive plan from authorities and municipalities. The network infrastructure in the coastal zone needs to be strengthened and innovative solutions, such as using boats as battery banks to manage power peaks, need to be explored," concluded Kristine Hjorth-Gulbrandsen.