Port Director, Ingvar M. Mathisen hosted the christening. He thanked Grovfjord Mekaniske Verksted (GMV), which built the boat on behalf of the Port of Oslo. The boat will collect waste in inner Oslofjord. Godmother Elgsaas welcomed the boat as a response to her concern there may be more plastic than fish in the sea in a few years. “Adults are responsible to pass on fresh and healthy fjords to future generations. It is wonderful to see Port of Oslo lead the way and demonstrate how environmentally friendly alternatives can be deployed”, said Elgsaas before she ladled the boat three times with non-alcoholic champagne.
The christening took place at Honnørbrygga in front of Oslo City Hall.
Victoria Marie Evensen, Vice-Mayor for Business Development and Public Ownership, congratulated Oslo for launching Pelikan 2, the world's first electric, environmental boat of its kind. “I am pleased Port of Oslo works actively to achieve the important goals in the city council's action plan for a zero-emission port. Pelikan 2 gives Oslo a cleaner harbor, while reducing emissions. I look forward to seeing the boat in action on the fjord”, says Evensen.
Innovation
Board chair, Roger Schjerva says Port of Oslo is well on its way to reaching its goal of reducing emissions by 85 percent by 2030, and moving steadily forward to becoming a zero-emission port. “Port of Oslo has done extensive work to reach its goal as a zero-emission port. I am proud of the boat. It is important for us to demonstrate leadership and help develop technology that others can use. I want to thank Grovfjord Mekaniske Verksted who built the boat, and the employees of Port of Oslo who contributed to its development. I hope the city's residents enjoy the boat”, says Schjerva.
General Manager of Grovfjord Mekaniske Verksted, Bård Meek-Hansen thanked Port of Oslo for its cooperation.
“Pelikan 2 is the result of joint development. GMV selects components, assembles systems and develops software. We will now build a series of battery-powered boats. While we were testing Pelican 2, we had a visit from the white whale, Hvaldimir. He fell in love with the boat and lay between the hulls for hours communicating with the echo sounder. It triggered his interest in collecting waste. The whale swam to the harbor bottom and picked up garbage for us”, said Meek-Hansen.
Facts
Silent swan
Boat driver, Lars Erik Skjørdal at Port of Oslo says Pelikan 2 glides silently through the water like a swan, and is easy to operate. The new boat replaces Port of Oslo's environmental boat, Pelikan, which over the past 30 years has removed 1,500 tons of garbage and driftwood from the port. Pelican 2 can work at full capacity for 8 to 12 hours with power from its 554-kilowatt batteries. Recharging the batteries takes just 2 hours. A hydraulic collection basket at the bow, with a capacity of 350 kg, efficiently collects garbage from the waterways. The boat has two cranes. One mounted on the deck with a gripping function and the other for lifting heavy objects. Constructed in aluminum, the environmental boat is 12 meters long and 7.5 meters wide. It can reach a top speed of almost 10 knots.
State-of-the-art equipment and environmental solutions
Two electric propulsion motors, and four electric side propellers drive the boat. Solar panels power the environmental boat’s state of the art navigation systems. A single person can operate the boat, with most functions controlled from the driver's position. Nine cameras extend the driver’s view for navigation and surveillance. Dynamic positioning makes it easy to perform difficult operations that require precise maneuvering along the shoreline and in hard-to-reach areas. Ergonomic solutions provide a healthy working environment for the crew. The specially designed driver’s cabin features ergonomic seating and clear lines of sight. The design of the deck and engine room allows the crew to perform maintenance and inspections comfortably and efficiently. The boat was developed by Port of Oslo in collaboration with Grovfjord Mekaniske Verksted. It is fully financed by Port of Oslo, and cost NOK 23 million.
Photo Captions
Godmother, Tora Elgsaas (14) from Miljøagentene names the world's first electric, environmental boat of its kind. Port Director, Ingvar M. Mathisen is pleased to see Oslo launch a boat that will eventually help make the port emission-free. Innovative collaboration between the Port of Oslo and Grovfjord Mekaniske Verksted (GMV) helped build the world's first electric, environmental boat of its kind. Pelican 2 is Oslofjord’s latest attraction. Pictured from left: General Manager of GMV, Bård Meek-Hansen, Boat Driver, Lars Erik Skjørdal, Port of Oslo Board Chair, Roger Schjerva, Godmother, Tora Elgsaas, and Port Director, Ingvar M. Mathisen in Oslo Harbor. The electric, environmental boat, Pelikan 2 collects garbage using its onboard digital technology. Godmother, Tora Elgsaas (14) from Miljøagentene learns how to operate Pelikan 2 with help from boat driver, Odin Kjønaas. All of the boats functions are digitized. The electric boat can collect waste from the waterways for an entire day before it needs recharging.