Enova funds conversion of four bulk carriers to run on replaceable batteries

Norwegian state-owned climate and energy fund Enova has awarded Norwegian Krone 236 million ($25 million) to Hagland Shipping to convert four of its bulk carriers to run on battery power alone.

IMAGE: Hagland Progress is one of four bulk carriers Hagland Shipping will convert to run on replaceable batteries. Hagland Shipping

The grant is the largest in a NOK 420 million ($45 million) funding round for 12 battery-powered vessels and two charging sites, which Enova announced this week.

Hagland’s ships will swap their empty batteries for fully charged ones, instead of stopping in port to charge, Enova said.

Enova said the four ships will be the first battery-powered bulk carriers trading between Norway and other countries. They will sail along the Norwegian coast and to Northern Europe. Each ship will have 40 MWh of batteries, Enova said.

The port Kristiansand Havn has received NOK 15 million ($1.61 million) in the same funding round to build a charging and battery-swap site at Gismerøya in Mandal, and operations are planned to start towards the end of 2028.

Norwegian battery maker Zen will run the battery swapping and charging.

Hagland’s ships will also be fitted with wing sails to save energy.

Hagland Progress is one of the four ships to be converted. Hagland launched the vessel in 2023 as one of three battery-hybrid bulkers built by Dutch shipbuilder Royal Bodewes. The release does not say which other three ships will be converted.

Enova has funded several other battery propulsion projects in the same round:

• Bulk Loaders will receive NOK 89 million ($10 million) to build a battery-powered cargo ship with 15MWh of batteries, which will carry cargo for the oil industry mainly between Stavanger and Kristiansund in Norway. It will replace an older vessel in the company’s fleet and charge mostly from shore power while loading and unloading.
• Grieg New Energy has received NOK 54 million ($6 million) for two battery-powered aquaculture service boats and an additional NOK 11 million ($1.15 million) for a charging facility.
• Steinarbo Invest has secured NOK 15 million ($1.61 million) for five battery-powered aquaculture workboats.

Enova expects the projects in the round to cut around 21,000 mt/year of CO2.

Norway had one fully or partly battery-powered ship in operation in 2015 and has 561 today, Enova said. The fund has supported 378 of them, as well as many still under construction. Nearly one in three battery-powered ships in the world is Norwegian, Enova said.

By Nachiket Tekawade

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