Battery and energy solutions provider Xalt Energy, part of Germany’s Freudenberg Sealing Technologies, has provided lithium-ion batteries for New Zealand’s first all-electric ferry.

As informed, the batteries have been integrated into the ship’s design by the McKay Group, an electro-technology company that is focused on sustainable transportation solutions.

The new, 19-meter, 135-passenger vessel will be part of the East by West Wellington Harbour Ferry Service fleet and will make approximately nine daily trips between Queens Wharf and Days Bay.

Specifically, Xalt’s batteries will provide the busy vessel with a fume- and emission-free power source that has been optimally configured to meet the design requirements of the ship. The McKay Group has installed 72 XMP 76P lithium-ion battery packs onboard that will supply approximately 550 kWh of energy.

In a country known for its natural beauty and focus on sustainability, the ferry is said to represent a milestone in New Zealand’s marine industry.