Hamburg Journal visits hybride fire boats

In the fragment Hamburg Port Authority explains they want to contribute to the air quality in the city and reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide and particulate matter.

Weniger Schadstoffe: Hamburg setzt auf Hybrid-Löschboote | NDR.de - Fernsehen - Sendungen A-Z - Hamburg Journal

The secret of these new hybride fire boats can be found below deck. The engine room is built as compact as a submarine. Each square meter is used. The batteries are placed in a special room; they form the heart of the hybrid installation. With the batteries it is possible to sail for two hours fully electric.

The propellers are driven directly via and electric motor. When the charge level of the batteries gets low, a diesel generator takes over. The fire fighting pump is still driven fully on diesel power. This is a compromise to ensure full deployment at all times.

With these new vessels, their fleet is complete. The predecessor at the left is in service for over 40 years. Thanks to their limited draught, the fire boats are able to reach far into the inner city of Hamburg.

The ship traffic to Hamburg is responsible for about 40% of the emission of nitrogen oxide.
The emission of CO2 is almost the same as the road traffic.

The road to climate neutral seafaring is still a long way but the Hamburg Port Authority can already contribute towards a more healthy environment.
When the crew is trained for the new vessels, the old fire boat will be phased out in autumn.

Source: Hamburg Journal