Govt, university and industry launch hybrid boat

On 4 May 2023, a 43-foot hybrid boat was launched on the Manning River, Taree, in regional NSW.

The vessel, which runs on a battery electric power system and propulsion system, is the result of a collaboration between Ampcontrol, Steber International and the University of Newcastle.

Steve Mitchell, Ampcontrol Engineering Manager, said the successful deployment was enabled by this partnership between industry, government and the education sector.

“Marine technology was previously outside of our area of focus as a business; however, through collaboration with Steber and the University of Newcastle, we have been able to de-risk our research and development activities in this area to pave the way in developing commercially viable hybrid diesel electric power systems for marine vessels,” he said.

Image caption: The 43-foot hybrid boat on launch day. Image courtesy of Ampcontrol.

Steber International, specialists in Australian boat manufacturing and industrial composite technology, originally approached Ampcontrol in 2017 to assist in the development of a prototype for a hybrid police boat. The goal was to create a power-efficient, quiet and environmentally friendly boat without compromising on the cruising range.

The ongoing collaboration reached a significant milestone in the development of their latest hybrid propulsion system, highlighting the dedication of the Ampcontrol, Steber International and the University of Newcastle team to advancing sustainable and efficient technologies for the maritime industry.

Alan Steber, Steber International General Manager, said the project showed potential for the entire marine sector.

“Hybrid power sources for marine applications are being developed across the globe,” he said. “We are proudly playing our part, working in partnership with industry leaders and innovators in Regional NSW.”

The research and development effort received early support from the federal government in the form of two AusIndustry Innovation Connection grants. This funding was used to develop a smaller 22-foot prototype hybrid boat that was launched in 2021. The knowledge gained from this work was fundamental to the development of the hybrid power and propulsion system installed in the recently launched vessel.

The successful use of this technology in a prototype marine vessel, including advancements of hybrid propulsion systems, has recently been detailed in a research paper titled ‘Hybrid Propulsion System for Marine Vessels based on a DC Microgrid’, by Galina Mirzaeva, Professor at the School of Engineering, the University of Newcastle. The paper was co-authored by Dmitry Miller, Product Manager – Power Systems at Ampcontrol, along with Mitchell and Steber.

The next phase of the project will be to add a powerful diesel generator that will electrically couple into the electrical power system to ensure that the boat has the same operating range as its full diesel counterparts.

Top image caption: 43-foot hybrid boat designed and developed by Ampcontrol, Steber International and the University of Newcastle deployed on the Manning River, Taree, in regional NSW.  Image courtesy of Ampcontrol.