System-level assessment and comparison of fast charging and battery swapping technologies for full electrification of Maritime vessels

Abstract: This thesis focuses on the system-level assessment and comparison of fast charging and battery-swapping technologies for the full electrification of maritime vessels. The maritime industry is a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions and reducing emissions from shipping is crucial for achieving a sustainable future. Inland waterway vessels play a critical role in the transportation of goods and are an important focus for the implementation of low-emission technologies. In terms of the overall volume of goods transported, the countries that use inland waterway vessels the most for goods transport are China and the United States. Due to their extensive inland canal transport networks, as well as the effectiveness and affordability of this mode of transportation, the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium are the nations that employ inland waterway vessels for goods shipping the most regularly in Europe. In this thesis, the performance of fast charging and battery-swapping technologies for inland waterway vessels is modelled using the queuing method and simulation models developed in Python and Excel spreadsheets. The queuing method is a powerful tool for analyzing systems with waiting in lines or queues and can provide insights into the performance of fast charging and battery-swapping stations under different conditions. The simulation models allow us to evaluate the impact of fast charging and battery-swapping technologies on the electrification of inland waterway vessels and evaluate the performance of these technologies under various scenarios. In addition to the queuing method, optimization algorithms and statistical methods are used in this thesis to determine the optimal deployment of charging infrastructure and battery-swapping stations, analyze the relationship between different factors, and make predictions about the performance of different charging and battery-swapping technologies. Furthermore, energy systems modelling is employed to evaluate ships' electrical energy consumption and charging patterns. The results of your thesis, which evaluates the performance of fast charging and batteryswapping technologies for the full electrification of inland waterway vessels, can provide valuable insights into the feasibility and potential of these technologies for this application. In addition, the results can provide valuable insights into the potential benefits and challenges of full electrification of inland waterway vessels, including reduced emissions and fuel costs, as well as the need for significant infrastructure investment and potential limitations of battery technology. This information can be used by policymakers, shipping companies, and other stakeholders to inform decisions about the adoption of these technologies and the development of related infrastructure.