Italy’s First Electric Solar Ferries Delivered to Lago d’Iseo

Stralsunder Ostseestaal GmbH & Co. KG, through its business unit Ampereship, successfully delivered two electric solar ferries to Lago d’Iseo near Bergamo in northern Italy. These ferries, the first of their kind in Italy, were commissioned by the local authority of the operator Navigazione Lago d’Iseo. Measuring 25 x 6.6m, each ferry is equipped with two 100 kW electric drives and two battery banks with a total capacity of around 750 kWh. The vessels are powered by shore power and solar modules, with 75 percent of the roof area covered in PV modules. Designed for 140 passengers, the ferries have a cruising speed of 17 km/h and can reach up to 19 km/h at top speed.

The ferries were constructed at the Ostseestaal site in Stralsund under the technical management of Ampereship, a specialized business unit focusing on zero-emission ships with the ‘Made in Germany’ seal. Ampereship integrated its own propulsion, automation, and energy management systems into the newbuilds. A unique aspect of the project was the delivery of the ships to the site in sections, which were then assembled on-site, eliminating transport challenges and the need for a local shipyard. The assembly process took around four weeks for each ferry before they underwent test runs and were put into operation on Lake Iseo.

This delivery to Lago d’Iseo marks the second successful project in the Alpine region for Ostseestaal and Ampereship. Previously, the companies delivered three identical electric-solar passenger ships for Lake Zurich, where they are currently in operation. Dirk Zademack, General Manager of Ampereship, is optimistic about future orders, citing the outdated fleet of passenger ships in Europe that will need to be replaced in the coming years. Zademack emphasizes the importance of choosing emission-free alternatives with an efficient construction process to meet the evolving needs of the industry.

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