Vessels used for public transportation on inland waterways, or for short sea journeys, represent one of the most promising segments for full electrification. In fact, these vessels have predictable operating profiles, with short and predetermined routes, making them particularly suitable for battery electric power.

Critical aspects are related to charging requirements. Indeed, weight and volume constraints on board vessels limit the size of the on-board battery, which needs to be recharged between trips to complete the daily service. However, charging time is often limited by highly cadenced schedules that require high power charging in the megawatt range. The operation of such power levels requires specific conditions for both the gfid connection and the charging system, which will need to be integrated appropriately. The research activities outlined in this report therefore focus on the electrification of lake public transport and the associated high-power charging.

Starting with an analysis of the information gathered so far and a survey of regulatory aspects, the context and development options for the sector are framed. This is followed by an analysis of possible configurations for integrating charging infrastructure into the electricity grid, which concludes the literature and document research section. Based on the collected material, electrification analyses were then developed for the ferry and motorboat category. The problem was dealt with by relying on actual usage profiles and enhancing the data collected through the consumption monitoring activity of two hybrid plug–in vessels. Energy consumption and both battery and charging requirements were identified for each ship category. For the ferry case, the most demanding in terms of charging power, two grid integration options were also analyzed to provide a techno-economic comparison.