AYK Energy has secured a contract to supply a 16MWh battery system for Germany’s next-generation Polarstern research vessel, which is being developed for the Alfred Wegener Institute.
The agreement was signed with Wärtsilä, which is acting as the marine electrical integrator for the ship’s hybrid propulsion system. The new vessel will replace Germany’s current Polarstern research ship and is designed for year-round operations in the Arctic and Antarctic, including extended missions in heavy ice.
The battery installation will use AYK Energy’s Pisces+ system, with a capacity of 16MWh and a weight of approximately 131 metric tons. According to the company, it will be the largest battery system installed on an ice-class vessel.
The system is scheduled for delivery in 2028, with the vessel expected to enter service in 2030. Shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) is developing the vessel and has published specifications for the project.
The Pisces+ battery will form a central component of the ship’s hybrid diesel-electric power system. It will support peak shaving and load optimization while enabling lower-emission operations during scientific missions. Battery power will also enable quieter vessel operations, which can reduce noise and vibration that might interfere with research activities.
Chris Kruger, founder and president of AYK Energy, said, “Polar research vessels operate at the absolute limits of what ships and onboard systems are expected to endure. To be selected for a project of such complexity and importance is a strong validation of AYK’s technology, particularly when safety, reliability and performance under extreme conditions are non-negotiable.”
Kruger added that working with Wärtsilä was central to the project’s development: “Working directly with Wärtsilä on Polarstern has been a highly technical and rigorous process. This is a vessel designed to operate in some of the harshest environments on the planet and every component has to earn its place. The fact that batteries of this scale are now being integrated into ice-class research ships shows just how far this technology has come.”
AYK Energy said the contract builds on several recent large-scale battery installations for hybrid ferries and other specialized vessels in Europe, reflecting growing adoption of battery technology in maritime applications.
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