Mobility transition: Hamburg transport company HADAG relies on electric ferries

Three hybrid ferries with diesel range extenders are already operating on the Elbe. In the future, three purely electrically powered ferries are to be added.

This harbor ferry runs on electricity but still has a diesel range extender

(Image: MartinLueke/Shutterstock.com)

Oct 28, 2025 at 9:46 pm CET

2 min. read

By

Werner Pluta

Hamburg is electrifying its public transport. This includes buses and subways, as well as harbor ferries. These are also to become electric.

The HADAG Seetouristik und Fährdienst AG, or HADAG for short, has commissioned the construction of three purely electric harbor ferries, as HADAG CEO Martin Lobmeyer announced on LinkedIn. The project is a significant step towards a sustainable future. HADAG is a subsidiary of the transport company Hamburger Hochbahn AG (HHA) and operates the ferry lines in the harbor.

The ships, designated Type 2030e, are each 30 meters long and 8 meters wide, with a draft of 2 meters. This is roughly equivalent to the dimensions of the currently used Type 2000 and Type 2020 ferries, which are also called "flatirons" due to their shape. Like the Type 2000, the electric ferries can carry 250 passengers. The Type 2020 offers space for 400 passengers.

Sufficient battery capacity for twelve hours of operation

The electric ferries are powered by two engines. Two bow thrusters ensure high maneuverability. The maximum speed is expected to be around 12 knots, or about 22 km/h. The battery has a capacity of 3.8 megawatt-hours -- this should be sufficient for twelve hours of regular line service. Charging is done via a Powerlock shore power connection with a charging capacity of a maximum of 525 kilowatts.

The ships are being built by the company SET Schiffbau- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft Tangermünde. Commissioning is planned for 2028. "With this investment, we are strengthening our role as a sustainable mobility service provider in the Port of Hamburg and sending a clear signal for innovation and responsibility," said Lobmeyer.

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In addition to the diesel-powered "flatirons," HADAG also uses three hybrid ferries. The ferries, also built by SET, are of Type 2030 and have an electric drive as well as a diesel engine as a range extender. The first was commissioned last year, and the other two this year. HADAG abandoned plans for hydrogen-powered ferries in the summer.