AYK Energy has secured a major contract to supply the largest battery ever fitted to an ice‑class vessel, supporting Germany’s next-generation polar research ship Polarstern.
The new diesel‑electric vessel, being developed for the Alfred Wegener Institute, will feature AYK’s Pisces+ system after a direct agreement with Wärtsilä, the global integrator of hybrid marine propulsion.
The Pisces+ battery will deliver 16MWh of capacity and weigh 131 tonnes, with installation scheduled for 2028. The new Polarstern, due to enter service in 2030, will replace Germany’s current flagship research ship and is designed for year‑round missions in both the Arctic and Antarctic. Builder TKMS has released extensive technical details outlining the vessel’s capabilities in heavy ice.
AYK founder and President Chris Kruger described the project as a defining moment for maritime battery technology, noting: “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.”
The Pisces+ system will sit at the heart of the vessel’s hybrid power architecture, supporting peak shaving, load optimisation and low‑emission operations during sensitive scientific work. Battery power will also reduce noise and vibration, improving conditions for research.
Kruger added: “Collaboration with Wärtsilä was a key part of the project’s success. Working directly with Wärtsilä on Polarstern has been a highly technical and rigorous process… The fact that batteries of this scale are now being integrated into ice class research ships shows just how far this technology has come.”
He emphasised that batteries are now central to modern ship design across ferries, offshore vessels and specialist research platforms.
Image: 3D view of the planned new icebreaking research and supply vessel
