As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, for the very first time, Jadrolinija has initiated the procedure of purchasing fully electric vessels that will transport passengers in the Dubrovnik, Sibenik and Losinj areas, as was confirmed by the President of the Management Board of the national shipping company, David Sopta, for Rijeka portal Novi list.
A preliminary consultation procedure has since been initiated, as part of the public procurement procedure for three Jadrolinija ferries which will be up to 55 metres long and boast a transport capacity of at least 370 passengers, with fully electric propulsion.
Jadrolinija intends to finance the construction of these new vessels through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, as has been announced on several occasions, Sopta pointed out that this is only the first step in a comprehensive fleet renewal which is set to continue over the coming years, all of which will be in full accordance with the guidelines of the Croatian Government and the European Commission.
“Jadrolinija is continuing the process of investing in its fleet by using electric passenger ships. The boats will be intended for islanders and passengers in the Dubrovnik and Sibenik areas, as well as in the waters around Mali Losinj. This is a big step for Jadrolinija towards turning to green technologies with low greenhouse gas emissions. Jadrolinija is developing, adapting and following the trends of sustainable development, and our goal is for Jadrolinija to become a modern shipping company,” said Sopta.
The new Jadrolinija ferries will maintain lines between Dubrovnik and the surrounding islands, ie the Elafiti islands, as well as between Sibenik and some of the surrounding island, as well as in Mali Losinj, Unije, Susak, Srakan and Ilovik. The new vessels will replace the already legendary ships; Postira, Tijat and Premuda, which are among the oldest in the national shipping fleet, some of which were built back in the 1950s.
As Novi list has also learned, all of these new Jadrolinija ferries will be fully equipped with additional classic, diesel engines, along with a system of batteries and electric motors, in case of bad weather or any other situation in which electricity will have to be produced on board. Under normal circumstances, the batteries of new ships will be recharged each time they dock in the port, which is why Jadrolinija has already initiated agreements with HEP and local port authorities. Ideally, depending on possible appeals and issues in the tender procedure, the new ships should be launched within about two years.
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