Yinson GreenTech (YGT), through its marine electrification business marinEV, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Langkawi Port (LPSB) to establish a framework for collaboration on the Langkawi Electric Ferry Project, paving the way for Malaysia’s first commercial, open-sea, point-to-point, fully electric passenger ferry service.
The project aims to deploy purpose-built, fully electric passenger ferries operating between Kuah, Langkawi and Kuala Perlis, supported by shore-based charging infrastructure and integrated marine technologies. Under the collaboration, YGT will provide the vessels under a charter arrangement, LPSB will operate the service, and Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) will develop the power and charging infrastructure. This brings together marinEV’s electric vessel development and integration capabilities, LPSB’s local maritime and port operating experience, and TNB’s power infrastructure expertise.
The parties will work together with relevant government agencies, infrastructure providers and other stakeholders to progress the technical, operational, regulatory and commercial requirements for implementation. Mandated as a National Priority Project, the collaboration is supported by key government and industry stakeholders, including the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Finance and Marine Department of Malaysia.
The vessels will be based on marinEV’s Hydroferry platform, developed for fully electric passenger transport. They will incorporate electric propulsion, onboard energy storage, marinEV’s integrated digital technologies, and autonomous and remote-operation capabilities developed by Zeabuz.
The proposed ferry service will complement existing connectivity between Langkawi and mainland Malaysia, while demonstrating how vessel electrification, shore charging and digital technologies can be integrated into day-to-day passenger transport operations. The collaboration supports Malaysia’s broader energy transition and maritime decarbonisation ambitions. The National Energy Transition Roadmap identifies marine transport as an area for decarbonisation and targets 40% green fuel penetration in the sector by 2050.
For marinEV, the project represents a further expansion of its electric vessel portfolio into passenger transportation, following the development of its Hydromover cargo vessel and Hydroglyder crew-transfer platforms. Hydromover has since progressed from technology development and trials into commercial operations in Singapore.
Jan-Viggo Johansen, MD marinEV, said: “This collaboration applies the experience we gained from developing and operating electric vessels in Singapore to passenger transportation in Malaysia. Our approach has always been to move beyond demonstrating that electric vessels can work towards developing solutions that can be deployed reliably in day-to-day commercial operations. This project brings together the vessel, charging infrastructure, digital technology and operating model required to do exactly that. As part of Yinson GreenTech and the wider Yinson Group, we are particularly pleased to contribute our marine electrification capabilities in Malaysia. Working alongside LPSB and other stakeholders, our focus will be on developing a practical and scalable solution that can provide valuable operational experience for the wider adoption of electric maritime transport.”
Image: MoU signing for Malaysian electric ferry project (source: Yinson Greentech)
