Fugro Calibrator
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Boat name
Make and type
Dimensions LxWxH
Year of construction
Type of project
6 km/h
8 km/h
9 km/h
13 km/h
Electric motor:
Battery pack
Capacity
Communication
Charger / inverter:
Electrical conversion of the Fugro Calibrator
E-WERF was commissioned by Fugro to convert the Fugro Calibrator to electric power. This workboat is used in the Vlietlanden to calibrate survey and positioning equipment. For this type of work, a reliable and quiet platform is essential. The original four-cylinder diesel engine has therefore been replaced by a fully electric propulsion system.
During the preparatory phase, various powertrains and integration partners were considered. Ultimately, Fugro selected E-WERF as the installation partner for the ship’s electrification. The installation was carried out with a focus on reliability, integration with existing systems and straightforward on-board energy management.
The new propulsion system consists of a 10 kW Bellmarine Drivemaster electric motor. With this motor, the boat reaches a speed of approximately 13 km/h at maximum power. At lower speeds, energy consumption is considerably lower. At 6 km/h, the boat consumes around 1 kW; at 8 km/h, approximately 1.7 kW; and at 9 km/h, around 3 kW. This means that a 20 kWh battery pack can still provide a practical range even at higher cruising speeds.
For energy storage, E-WERF lithium batteries with CAN-open communication and integrated heating have been selected. These batteries have been developed for maritime applications and communicate directly with the Victron energy system on board. This creates a well-integrated system in which charging, discharging and energy management are controlled automatically.
The vessel is equipped with a Victron Multiplus II 48/5000, which is controlled by the batteries’ BMS. This allows the charging process to be monitored at cell level. When the temperature drops below 5 °C, the batteries are automatically heated so that charging remains possible even at low temperatures.
In addition to the electric propulsion system, the 230V on-board electrical system has also been redesigned. The battery pack can supply up to 5 kW of 230V power for equipment used on board during operations. A switchboard with four separate circuits has been built for this purpose.
The entire system is linked to Victron VRM, enabling the vessel to be monitored remotely. Settings can be adjusted and updates carried out via this platform whenever necessary.
Following this refit, the Fugro Calibrator now has a fully electric propulsion system that is well suited to the work for which the vessel is used.
