Impacts of Uncoordinated Electric Ferry Charging on Distribution Network

The maritime industry contributes significantly to marine greenhouse gas emissions. To address this, there is a growing shift towards renewable-powered electric vessels, necessitating charging infrastructure at docks. This study examines the potential effects of uncoordinated EF (electric ferry) charging on local distribution networks, focusing on Gladstone Marina in Queensland, Australia. Using OpenDSS software, power flow analysis assesses the simulated network with BESSs (Battery Energy Storage Systems) which represent proposed charging stations. Initially, power flow analysis is conducted without BESS integration which is termed as base case for different load scenarios. Subsequently, the impact of fully utilized charging stations operating in uncoordinated mode is evaluated. Findings indicate a systematic reduction in bus voltages by approximately <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$1 \%-3 \%$</tex> and an increase in load current consumption by about <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$2 \%-3.5 \%$</tex> compared to the base case. Despite the impact analysis is conducted on a simulated test network using power flow analysis, the findings may offer valuable guidance for the implementation of electric ferry charging stations in portside distribution networks.