Starting signal for an all-electric, emission-free inland waterway transport fleet
The partnership between SNL and Baumüller marks a milestone in the electrification of waterborne transport in Switzerland
Lugano, May 4, 2021. The drive and automation specialist Baumüller and the Società Navigazione del Lago di Lugano (SNL) have officially established a long-term partnership. The companies will work together to realize "Project 20-35". The aim of the project is to achieve the all-electric and emission-free operation of the SNL fleet by 2035.
For this purpose, Baumüller will supply innovative, pioneering drive systems, thereby setting new standards for waterborne transport on Swiss lakes together with SNL. The electrification of the MS Ceresio, which was built in 1931 with a diesel engine, marks the start of the project, with further ships to follow.
Andreas Baumüller, CEO of Baumüller Group (left) and Agostino Ferrazzini, President of SNL (right), at the signing of the cooperation agreement
Purely electric ship operation
Once the retrofitting process is complete, the MS Ceresio will cope with day-to-day operations using only electrical drive technology. Moreover, it will be possible to fully charge the ship in only 20 minutes. For this quick charging function, a 4 MW transformer is being installed at the charging point. With a capacity of over 200 passengers, the MS Ceresio will thereby become the first all-electric liner in the Canton of Ticino.
SNL president Agostino Ferrazzini speaks enthusiastically about the meaning of the project: "Today, the goal of a greener lake by 2035 is getting closer and closer. For us, the responsibility we bear to future generations of guaranteeing sustainable and state-of-the-art waterborne transport is a basic priority. We are fully committed to finding groundbreaking and innovative solutions, and we are gratified to be able to count on the support of the Baumüller Group. The coming months will be very work-intensive, but we are certain that we will be able to put the new, all-electric MS Ceresio into operation in the summer of 2021."
For Andreas Baumüller, CEO of Baumüller Group, this project sends an important signal: "Once the retrofitting process is complete, the MS Ceresio will cope with day-to-day ferry operations using only electrical drive technology. This will make exhaust fumes and the noise levels common to diesel ferries a thing of the past. Our long-standing experience in charging infrastructures and the electrification of marine propulsion systems is a very good match for the sustainable and forward-looking transport concept pursued by SNL. We are very much looking forward to our long-term partnership."
Baumüller Group
Ostendstraße 80-90, 90482 Nürnberg, Germany
Tel. +49 911 5432 0, mail@baumueller.com, www.baumueller.com
Società Navigazione del Lago di Lugano
Viale Castagnola 12, 6906 Lugano, Switzerland
Tel. +41 91 222 11 11, info@lakelugano.ch, www.lakelugano.ch
