World's first hybrid solar cargo ship sets sail in Germany

The world's first hybrid solar-powered cargo ship, 'The Blue Marlin', has been launched in Germany, marking a breakthrough in environmentally friendly shipping.

The Blue Marlin uses state-of-the-art solar technology to power not only the ship's internal systems but also its main propulsion. The ship is built with a combination of solar panels and a diesel-electric system.

The Blue Marlin is equipped with 192 solar panels, which can generate up to 35 kilowatts of electricity in favorable weather conditions. This power is enough to charge more than 1,400 smartphones at once.

Netherlands-based company Wattlab designed the ship's solar power system, which directly supplies power to the propulsion system. Whereas previously solar power was only used for navigation or internal operations, Blue Marlin is using solar power primarily for propulsion.

In favorable conditions, especially when sailing downstream with a light load, the ship is capable of running entirely on solar power.

The ship has four diesel generators in addition to solar power. This hybrid system allows for easy switching between solar and diesel-electric power when needed, allowing the ship to operate smoothly in any weather.

An automated energy management system controls the distribution of electricity, which accurately identifies and supplies the amount of energy needed where and how much.

In addition, the ship uses a technology called 'peak shaving', through which, when energy demand increases, the stored energy of solar and batteries is used instead of turning on the generator.

It also incorporates remote navigation technology called 'Cipher', which allows the ship to be controlled remotely on certain routes.

The ship is particularly suitable for navigation in the canals of Germany.