Scandlines Races To Fully Electrify Ferry Services As Fehmarn Tunnel Stalls - CleanTechnica

Danish-German shipping company Scandlines has launched Baltic Whale, a zero-emission, all-electric freight ferry operating on the Puttgarden–Rødby route between Germany and Denmark. This vessel, equipped with a 10 MWh battery and rapid automated charging system, increases freight capacity by 27% and reduces truck wait times despite high traffic volumes. Baltic Whale complements Scandlines’ existing hybrid Ro-Pax ferries, which carry passengers, cars, and freight, enabling the company to shift heavy truck traffic onto a specialized platform and enhance operational efficiency on this key Baltic Sea corridor. Scandlines’ electrification efforts come amid delays to the Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link, an 18-kilometer immersed tunnel designed to replace ferry services by providing faster road and rail crossings. Originally slated for completion in 2029, the tunnel project now faces at least a two-year delay due to logistical challenges with immersion vessels and rail infrastructure development, pushing the opening to 2031 or