Dutch firm Wattlab has completed the first full-scale installation of its solar power system on a diesel-electric seagoing ship.

It has installed 44 solar power systems with a total capacity of 79 kWp on Vertom’s new 7,280 dwt cargo ship, Vertom Tula, Wattlab said in an emailed statement on Thursday.

The Solar Flatracks system can cover about 20% of the ship’s power needs for lighting and other onboard systems.

Wattlab said the panels can be installed or removed quickly if needed for cargo work.

“During the pilots, the test results showed that the Solar Flatrack system performs well in the tough coastal shipping environment,” Thomas van Meerkerk, business development manager at Vertom, said.