Singapore, 17 February 2025 — A milestone in Singapore’s maritime decarbonization roadmap was marked by the country’s first fully electric commercial service that was launched a year ago by Singapore's homegrown aluminum craft specialist Penguin International Limited. Dubbed the Electric Dream, one of the key partners for the realization of the project was Danish multinational engineering group, Danfoss. At present in its fully operational state, three fully electric commuter ferries powered by three rapid DC shore chargers transport around 3,000 people a day between the mainland and Pulau Bukom island.
Since January 2024, the three Electric Dream ferries have together eliminated more than 6,000 tones of CO2 from the skies over Singapore. In comparison, a standard electric car eliminates about five tones of CO2 annually. In addition, the Electric Dream also reduces noise pollution and harmful diesel particulates. With Singapore’s LNG-driven electricity grid, emissions remain significantly lower even when ferries draw from the power grid.
The project, spanning more than two years, was the result of a stringent iterative process and a strong collaboration between the project owner Penguin, Danfoss Singapore and other industry partners, including Razor Blunt Labs, Incat Crowther UK, and IT solutions partner GEMA Engineering.
Tailored Engineering Solutions
A purpose-built fast-charging system designed to meet the fleet’s operational demands delivers efficient power while supporting a 21-knot cruising speed, ensuring that the vessels’ energy usage is aligned with environmental goals. Unlike conventional electric vehicle charging, Electric Dream's high-voltage rapid DC shore charger, installed at the Pulau Bukom Ferry Terminal, is a bespoke solution provided by Danfoss that enables each electric ferry to cruise at 21 knots across 3 nm (nautical miles) and recharge in 8 minutes or less.
Danfoss developed a specialized Sinus-In-Sinus-Out (SISO) electrical filter that minimizes electrical interference during charging to maintain uninterrupted and stable power delivery even over extended distances. This is pivotal in maintaining system reliability, as electrical noise can disrupt the sophisticated systems on board. Compact, customized filters are installed on the ferries themselves which reduce the weight and size of onboard systems, cutting operational costs while optimizing space.
Danfoss variable speed drives, commonly known as inverters or VFDs, are placed in the main switchboards to allow a direct battery connection for maximum utilization of energy. This higher efficiency has translated into greater cost-effectiveness of the vessel operation.
Razor Blunt Labs’ simulation tool allowed all partners to test and refine their individual components to function cohesively as an integrated unit, from propulsion to charging infrastructure. GEMA Engineering served as the project's system integrator and worked closely with Danfoss to program an intuitive shipboard Ship Control and Monitoring System (SCMS) that could interface seamlessly with the Danfoss DC chargers onshore.
“Establishing good ship-to-shore compatibility and connectivity was one of the most challenging parts of the project,” said a Penguin spokesperson. “But expert inputs from our partners have made this project operationally successful.”
With power high enough to power six blocks of HDB flats, it typically takes only 6-8 minutes to recharge the 1.2 MWh of Electric Dream batteries by 30%, within which time passengers can disembark and embark. The waiting time for charging is virtually close to none.
A Model Case For Singapore’s Decarbonization Blueprint
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by 2040 and achieve net-zero by 2050. Singapore, as the world’s leading maritime city, is central to these efforts as it is expected to hold the position for the next five years. The country’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) has committed to retrofitting vessels for electric propulsion and adopting greener fuels as part of its 2050 decarbonization strategy.
The Electric Dream has been a major milestone in achieving this goal, offering results that are not only scalable, but also reproducible across various industry niches. As a project, it lays the groundwork for replicating similar results based on individual business cases, which informs the design of both the vessels and its charging infrastructure. The short distance of the commute and the feasibility of installing rapid DC shore chargers on Pulau Bukom made pure electrification the most sensible decarbonization solution for this project.
Danfoss hopes to continue innovating and sustain the impact of the success of the electric ferry, bolstering Singapore’s position as a leader in the global maritime decarbonization roadmap.
For enquiry, please contact
Teddy Ooi, Marketing Communications Manager
Mail: teddy.ooi@danfoss.com
Huan Ping Tan, Sales Head, Danfoss Drives Singapore
Mail: huanping.tan@danfoss.com
Lodi Boedels, Head of Engineering, Danfoss Drives Asia Pacific
Mail: lodi.boedels@danfoss.com