After 50-something years of service,
the old ferries across the Kiel-Kanal are now being retired.
PASSAT made a very good model of them, and as the gentlemen there are planning their retirement, You have to order this model until 12.15.2024, or search for a used one...
Since November last year,
the new generation has started to replace them. These are enviromentally friendly ships, driven by a hybrid diesel-electric Voith-Schneider drive, that are expected to use about 25 % less fuel than the old ones, by usage of batteries. The Diesel-engine will only be run to charge these batteries, so there will be not idling. The ferries will be kept and fixed at port by a new set of arrestor-claws, locking into purpose-built dolphins, thus eliminating running machines to keep position. Finally, beginning with this summer, the dolphins are to be equipped with electric connectors, to charge the batteries from port completely without running the engine. Once installed, the engines are just kept for emergencies and the vessel runs without (local) emissions at all. Given, the electricity once will be generated by wind-turbines, You spare up to 100 % of fuel.
The new vessels are named for small rivers in Northern Germany, the first one named after the ARLAU. I like the concept, and the new look is interesting as well, so I decided to make a model out of it.