Solar System Installed on Dutch Coaster
Dutch maritime solar company Wattlab has delivered a solar energy system for globally operating shipping, trading, and maritime services company Vertom.
The recently delivered Vertom Tula is a 7,280dwt diesel-electric multipurpose cargo vessel. The solar system represents a major technical milestone and a step forward for sustainable shipping. Wattlab has delivered and installed 44 Solar Flatracks that will provide power to onboard systems, reducing 20% of the hotel load.
Vertom operates a fleet of over 100 vessels, ranging from 1,500 to 12,000dwt.
After production and assembly in September in Wattlab’s new production facilities in Rotterdam, the 44 Solar Flatracks were installed onboard within a day in the Port of Harlingen.
Bo Salet, co-founder and CEO of Wattlab, explains that the Solar Flatracks can be installed in a minimum amount of time using container twist lock fittings: “For shipowners, time is money, so speed and ease of use are important. Furthermore, we know that ‘space is money’ too. Hence, should the panels need to be removed to make way for a special type of cargo, the crew can easily stack and store them all on the footprint of one 20ft container.”
“During the pilots, the test results showed that the Solar Flatrack system performs well in the tough coastal shipping environment,” says Thomas van Meerkerk, Business Development Manager at Vertom. “Based on the results of our own and TNO’s research in the past months, we consider Wattlab’s Solar Flatrack an effective option for reducing GHG and pollutant emissions. Of course, these things also depend on the conditions our vessels operate in, but it’s clear that the system can provide both a positive ROI and contribute to CO₂ reduction in shipping.”
Salet adds: “Another benefit is that the panels can stay on the hatch covers during loading and discharging operations. The crew was skeptical at first, fearing a lot of extra work. However, they soon learned that in practice, Solar Flatracks are easy to use and require minimal maintenance. For example, there’s no salt crust formation, because the water can drain freely from the panels.”
