© Stena Line GmbH & Co. KG
© Fraunhofer FKIE
Electric vehicles are booming, with more than a million on German roads as of this year. This, in turn, means that an increasing number of alternative fueled vehicles are transported on ferries. However, there are particular conditions associated with traveling at sea, such as the sea state, salt levels and humidity of the air, cramped spaces and closed vehicle decks. This, in combination with the particular characteristics of and risks associated with alternative fueled vehicles, means that shipping companies and ship crews must be prepared for certain challenges. In ALBERO, a research project by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), a research team from the Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing and Ergonomics FKIE designed an information system. In addition, they collaborated with a number of partners to create measures to support safe transportation and charging of vehicles during sea crossings, which also took into account vehicles powered by alternative fuels such as natural gas and hydrogen.