43-foot hybrid vessel successfully launched on Manning River

The achievement is the result of an award-winning collaboration between Ampcontrol, the University of Newcastle, and Taree based boat builder, Steber International.

The new boat was successfully launched on the Manning River on May 4.

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Steber International originally approached Ampcontrol in 2017 to assist in the development of a prototype for a hybrid police boat. The goal was to create a power-efficient, quiet and environmentally friendly boat without compromising on the cruising range.

The ongoing collaboration reached a significant milestone in the development of their latest hybrid propulsion system and highlights the dedication of the Ampcontrol, Steber International and the University of Newcastle, to advancing sustainable and efficient technologies for the maritime industry.

Alan Steber, general manager of Steber International, said the project continues to show vast potential across the entire marine sector.

"Hybrid power sources for marine applications are being developed across the globe. We are proudly playing our part, working in partnership with industry leaders and innovators in Regional NSW," Alan said.

The research and development effort received early support from the Federal Government in the form of two AusIndustry Innovation Connection grants.

This funding was used to develop a smaller 22-foot prototype hybrid boat which was launched in 2021.

The learnings from this work were fundamental to the development of the hybrid power and propulsion system installed in the recently launched vessel.

The next phase of the project will be to add a powerful diesel generator which will electrically couple into the electrical power system to ensure that the boat has the same operating range as its full diesel counterparts.

Ampcontrol engineering manager, Steve Mitchell, highlighted the successful deployment as a result of partnership between industry, government and the education sector.

"Marine technology was previously outside of our area of focus as a business, however through collaboration with Steber and the University of Newcastle, we have been able to de-risk our research and development activities in this area to pave the way in developing commercially viable hybrid diesel electric power systems for marine vessels," Steve said.

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