Denmark’s Scandlines to Convert RoRo Ferries to Plug-in Hybrids with Wärtsilä

In the second half of 2025, Denmark’s Scandlines will embark on the largest conversion project of conventional RoRo ferries into plug-in hybrid ferries in collaboration with Wärtsilä. Two 27-year-old vessels, the Deutschland and Schleswig-Holstein, will be converted to hybrid operations, allowing them to conduct 80 percent of their voyages by battery. These vessels were built in 1997 and currently operate between Puttgarden in Germany and Rødby in Denmark, with a capacity of 1,200 passengers and 364 cars, traveling at a speed of 18.5 knots.

After a competitive tender process, Wärtsilä was chosen to supply the electrical system for the ferries, replacing an engine and diesel generator with a new shore-charged electrical system that includes a 5 MWh energy storage system. Wärtsilä will provide the hybrid converters, energy storage system, energy management system, switchgears, transformers, and other necessary components, as well as oversee installations, commissioning, and maintenance support services. This project demonstrates the advancements in technology and energy storage for marine decarbonization.

The project also includes shore charging capabilities, with Norwegian maritime system integrator NES supplying the land-based charging system for the ferry berth in Puttgarden. This system will allow the vessels to recharge in 12 minutes while loading operations are ongoing in port. Wärtsilä’s experience in hybrid retrofit projects dates back to 2012, and the company continues to lead in this field, with ferry companies like DFDS also investing in electric ships for their operations in the English Channel.

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