Germany-based battery supplier Lehmann Marine will provide energy storage systems for three new fully electric passenger ferries being built for Hamburg ferry operator HADAG Seetouristik und Fährdienst AG.

The vessels are being constructed by SET Schiffbau- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft Tangermünde mbH and will operate in the German Port of Hamburg as HADAG’s first purely electric ferries, Lehmann Marine said in a press release on Tuesday.

Each vessel will be equipped with a 3.8 MWh version of Lehmann Marine’s CUBE battery system, enabling fully emission-free and quiet operations in port service.

The ferries will measure about 30 m in length, carry up to 250 passengers, and are scheduled to enter service in 2028.

Lehmann Marine said the order is the largest in its history and marks a significant project for the electrification of urban ferry transport in Hamburg.

Battery-powered vessels have so far been largely limited to short-sea and coastal operations and are unlikely to be viable for large ships on long voyages, meaning a broader shift to alternative marine fuels will still be needed for deep-sea shipping.