Case Study: Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited achieves 38% fuel savings with Danfoss hybrid ferry drives

Fuel savings with Danfoss Drives at the heart of electric hybrid ferries

Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL), the asset owner for ferries serving Scotland's offshore islands, embarked on a project to develop innovative vessels that would create new benchmarks for fuel economy and low environmental impact. To turn this concept into a reality, CMAL collaborated with Danfoss, utilizing their VACON® NXP Liquid Cooled Drives as the core of a groundbreaking electric hybrid propulsion system.

The solution implemented by Danfoss involved placing their VACON® NXP drives at the heart of the hybrid system to control the propulsion motors, with lithium-ion battery banks connected to the drives' DC links for emission-free operation. The results were exceptional, with the vessels achieving a 38% reduction in fuel consumption—nearly double the initial 20% target—leading to a decrease in CO₂ emissions in excess of 5,500 tonnes per vessel. The success of the project, praised for the drives' reliability, efficiency, and compact design, led CMAL to order additional ferries featuring Danfoss technology.

Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL)

John Salton

Fleet Manager and Project Director