Overall electrical system installation

The freshly delivered 24m work vessel built by Glehen Shipyard in Douarnenez, completes the Phares et Balises shipowner’s fleet and is now operational for its maintenance missions on the lighthouses and buoys of the Finistère coast.

After the success of the propulsion drives overhaul on the Provence vessel in 2020, Barillec Marine was entrusted by Glehen Shipyard, with the overall electrical system installation of the “Finistère”. At that time, Benoît Vigot, the shipowner’s technical manager, was already announcing the ambition of Phares et Balises to “use more green technologies and move towards zero-emission propulsion for our future ships”.

The environmental challenges of the maritime sector and the clearly expressed expectations of the shipowner have prompted Barillec Marine to take up the challenge of co-designing with Glehen Shipyard, the electric propulsion system of a work boat fitted with batteries, allowing it to enter and exit ports, or sail through sensitive areas in zero emission mode.

This is how the electrical systems integrator looked into the technical aspects of the future ship’s operating needs in order to optimize its entire electrical chain, in particular the zero-emission battery hybrid propulsion.

The full electrical installation also included the alarm centralization, the communication and the navigation systems.

Finally, the delivery of the dynamic positioning system, in collaboration with D-Ice, offers the crew great precision in maneuverability and maximum safety.

“The new technologies installed on board require a solid know-how, since this vessel is fitted with an hydraulic propulsion system. A zero-emission mode is made possible by installing a conversion panel and a 147kWh battery bank which power two electric motors.

On the functional side, the batteries designed and manufactured by the French company E4V, are recharged at the quayside in less than 10 hours, i.e. 10% per hour, on a standard 400V – 63A shore power supply, giving the vessel an autonomy of 1 hour at 5 knots. », explains Clément Le Guillou, Barillec Marine business manager.

The Concarneau company is consolidating its know-how in the construction or retrofitting of electric propulsion systems for sustainable and innovative ships, thus offering a global offer for on-board energy management.

It has been part of the main French marine projects implementing hydrogen.