Lake Lucerne Navigation Company (SGV) recently completed the electrification of its ship Rütli. The 1929-built unit — the oldest motor vessel on Lake Lucerne — has been retrofitted with the latest technology, making it fit for the future.
An electric motor replaced the ship’s diesel engine and batteries were installed as energy storage.
The SGV invested CHF 1.2 million (about $1.3 million) in the retrofit.
The eMS Rütli embarked on its first trip on May 25, 2024. From then on, the ship mainly operates in the Lake Lucerne basin as a cruise and city ship.
As explained, the electrification of the eMS Rütli aims to reduce the consumption of conventional diesel in the fleet and thus contribute to reducing CO2 emissions. The SGV has set itself the goal of reducing the proportion of fossil fuels on scheduled ships by 20% by 2026 compared to 2019.
The ship was retrofitted by Shiptec AG in Lucerne. Like SGV AG, Shiptec AG also belongs to the SGV Group, which operates in Lucerne.
Shiptec AG has already built motor ships such as MS Diamant or MS Bürgenstock with hybrid propulsion and is planning to convert the MS Saphir to a hydrogen fuel cell drive in winter 2025/26.