10129605SESSF, Smart Electrification of Short Straits FerriesClosedFeasibility StudiesInnovate UKThe Smart Electrification of Short Straits Ferries (SESSF) project is a 5-month feasibility study focusing on the assessment and examination of different design options and battery duty cycles of electric propulsion vessels that DFDS is currently considering to deploy at the Short Straits (SS). The project consortium is led by AVL, a leading UK e-mobility technology development company, and brings together a strong team of experts from a world-class research centre at the University of Kent (CeLSA) which has led and participated in other relevant innovative projects focusing on the decarbonisation of the Short Straits through CMDC1 and 2, and one of the key stakeholders of the Short Straits itself, i.e. DFDS, to develop a digital and data-driven decision support tool that informs both the strategic and the operational decisions DFDS is currently making with regard to the ordering, deployment and best operational practices of these e-vessels. The SESSF consortium partners will work together to: (i) review the current business-as-usual of DFDS ferries at the SS and analyse the available data from the duty cycles of the existing fleet, (ii) investigate and improve the e-ferry designs, (iii) develop optimal operational profiles and battery charge/discharge cycles of all designs over different route trajectories across the SS, and (iv) conduct a complete cost/benefit and techno-economic analysis of the options to inform their strategic and operational decision-making process. The proposed methodology will be implemented within a digital interactive tool where the stakeholders will be able to conduct a large set of scenario generation and sensitivity analyses. There will be a clear route to market activity during and after the project to extend further the developed bespoke tool for the case of SESSF to similar routes and markets within the UK and beyond.