Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s concept ship E/S Orcelle offers a green vision of the future for Ro/Ro ships. Back in 2004, WW began working on the design of an environmentally sound ship, dubbed E/S. The premise for the futuristic design starts with the question: What does the future hold for shipping in the year 2025? What if fossil fuel oils become too expensive to extract, or if they are quite simply no longer available? What if renewable energy sources available at sea could replace the fuel oils used to power today’s ships? What if car manufacturers could extend the range of the environmental friendliness of their operations to include the entire supply chain - from factory production through delivery to dealers and onwards to consumers?
These questions constitute the basis for the design and development of the E/S Orcelle, the zero-emission vessel of the future. The main design considerations include:
- Using the sun, wind and waves to employ multiple energy generators that include fuel cells.
- Optimizing cargo capacity and lowering energy
- Taking into consideration other environmental challenges, such as completely eliminating the problems related to ballast water, thanks to the new hull design.
The E/S Orcelle is named after the Irrawaddy dolphin, or Orcelle in French. WWF, the global conservation organization, includes the dolphin, which resembles the beluga whale, among the world’s critically endangered species.
The E/S Orcelle will have an optimum cargo capacity of 85,000 m2 of cargo deck stowage area, roughly equivalent to 14 football fields. This is up to 50% more space than today’s modern car carriers, which are capable of transporting 6,500 vehicles.
The E/S Orcelle will be capable of transporting up to 10,000 cars on eight cargo decks. Three of the decks will be adjustable to accommodate cargo of different heights and weights.
Compared to today’s vessels, the pentamaran hull shape of the E/S Orcelle and its utilization of energy from renewable sources will help optimize the cargo-carrying capacity of the vessel. The E/S Orcelle will have a maximum deadweight capacity of 13,000 tons and weigh 21,000 tons, much like today’s car carriers. Yet the E/S Orcelle will be capable of carrying approximately 3,000 more tons of cargo, thanks to the use of lightweight materials and the elimination of ballast water.
Perhaps the most eye-catching aspect of the design is the five hulls. The vessel has a long, slender main hull and four support hulls, or sponsons, to provide stability at sea. The stability offered by the pentamaran hull and its fins, combined with the use of new propulsion systems, will eliminate the need for the vessel to take on and release ballast water. In addition, the pentamaran hull design will contribute to the improved utilization of energy and to the clean flow of water around the vessel.
Another unique aspect of the design is its use of multiple energy systems. Fuel cell technology is developing at a rapid pace, as evident in its use in the automotive industry. Approximately 50% of the energy used for propulsion of the E/S Orcelle will be generated by fuel cells. Fuel cells will combine two common chemical elements, hydrogen and oxygen, to generate electricity to be used by the electric motors in the pod and fin propulsion systems. The fuel cells will also generate electricity for other energy consumers on board. Generating energy in this way creates by-products: pure water vapour and heat.
The E/S Orcelle will have a hydrogen-driven fuel cell system on board to generate electricity. The production and storage (at high pressure or low temperature) of the hydrogen itself are currently obstacles that need to be overcome in order to develop viable fuel cell technology for ships.
Wallenius Wilhelmsen envisions that future technologies will be able to transform solar, wind and wave energy into hydrogen for immediate use and/or storage on board. By developing technologies that will enable the production of hydrogen at sea, we will be a
