Support for emissions phase-out

With the expansion of its performance and service portfolio to include hydrogen propulsion systems, charging systems, and Marine Service, the marine specialists at Baumüller are assuming an even broader presence in the field of smart shipping.

Over the past several years, Baumüller has enhanced its products and systems for the marine industry and is now one of the leading suppliers of state-of-the-art marine propulsion systems. Baumüller can already provide drive systems in combination with battery and methanol motors as well as the charging or fast-charging infrastructure they require. For emission-free operation, the systems are also prepared for the use of hydrogen units. With these new services, Baumüller is additionally establishing itself in the infrastructure sector and even more so as a global life cycle partner.

Drive with fuel cells for an emission-free future

Hybrid hydrogen ship propulsion offers another solution for emission-free marine transport. Another major advantage is the ability to run the system continuously without charging breaks, as is necessary with purely electric drives. This makes hydrogen a promising energy carrier for shipping.

With the ever-improving ability to store cryogenic or highly compressed hydrogen, excellent ranges can be achieved. Refueling operations are fast and can be easily performed during the loading and unloading of cargo or other berthing activities once an adequate infrastructure is available. So-called “green hydrogen” offers immense potential for ship propulsion in terms of climate footprint and overall sustainability. And there are many other advantages, such as a high level of safety.

Baumüller drive systems can be flexibly adapted to different energy carriers and accordingly to energy storage systems and are therefore also suitable for hydrogen propulsion on ships. Ferries with fixed destinations are among the vessels predestined for the use of hydrogen ship propulsion. This is because, here, generation and refueling with hydrogen can be implemented with guaranteed efficiency. The same applies similarly for supply vessels, such as those used by energy companies for offshore wind farms.

Innovative fast-charging infrastructure and shore power for ships

The hybridization and electrification of ships also entail a demand for high-performance charging infrastructure. Baumüller closes the gap from the drive system to the charging station and offers the full range of charging technology for both rapid charging systems and shore power.

Baumüller’s different charging solutions for hybrid and fully electric ships demonstrate high flexibility. A precisely tailored system architecture for fast charging can be provided to suit the type of ship and the use to which it is put. This ranges from autonomous telescopic charging via loading crane to ram charging systems to manual charging stations.

In the past, to ensure that a ship remains functional while at port, diesel generators had to provide power to the ship’s electrical system. An environmentally responsible alternative for power supply is shore power. Shore power technologies use the shore-side power grid, thereby enabling an emission-free power supply for on-board services.

Baumüller as an original equipment manufacturer with a full scope of services

Baumüller offers not only excellent motors, converters, and the operating systems for these, but also a comprehensive marine service portfolio. This allows running times to be maximized, problems to be identified and corrected early on, and operations to run smoothly overall. The service package can be flexibly and individually adapted to meet different requirements. This ranges from initial installation and the training of personnel to regular maintenance intervals and repairs. All services are available around the clock and worldwide.

Baumüller maintains a worldwide Marine Service network with numerous partnerships. These include, for example, the Ireland-based company Derry Connell Marine Ltd. Here, Baumüller customers receive mechanical support in the area of steel construction as well as the full scope of electrical maintenance services. In addition, you can exchange components or smooth out any other service issues on site, such as defective cables, fuse failures, insulation problems, and much more.

To maximize time savings during maintenance, Baumüller uses its own online service, for example. Personnel who have already received training have the possibility to obtain guidance and advice from Baumüller technicians remotely via the remote guidance tool. In a mutual, simultaneous exchange, this tool allows many problems to be solved in a time-economizing way directly on site while the staff receives professional instruction. This both ensures safety and saves considerable time and money.