Image: DHL Group/Jens SchlüterIn 2022, as part of a collaboration with Berlin port logistics provider BEHALA and shipping company Solarwaterworld, DHL launched a pilot project (DE) in which a battery-electric ship equipped with solar panels transported parcels from Spandau to Westhafen. The aim was to test ecologically sustainable parcel logistics on Germany’s waterways. In 2023, the project was extended.Following the project’s success, DHL has decided to expand it and now operates a second electrically powered solar ship on a new route along the River Spree. “At DHL, we have created a true beacon project for sustainable logistics with our solar ships in Berlin. We are delighted that we can now transport parcels on a second route,” says Sven Goerke, Head of the Berlin Parcel Branch, in a statement in German. “Our extensive logistics expertise, applied to waterways and combined with solar-powered DHL Packstations, demonstrates how innovative solutions can relieve road traffic in Berlin.”The route runs from Köpenick, where a lorry delivers parcel containers to the Kaisersteg landing stage, via multiple stops equipped with solar-powered DHL Packstations, such as Rummelsburger Bucht, to Osthafen near the Oberbaum Bridge. At these stops, parcels are transferred to nearby Packstations, a task typically performed by delivery vans.The new, second solar-powered ship is significantly larger and can transport up to 1,500 parcels at once. It measures 19.50 metres in length and 5.10 metres in width. By using photovoltaic panels on the ship’s roof, sufficient electricity is generated for propulsion and onboard energy needs. For periods without sunlight, energy is stored in batteries. The solar ship is equipped with a 2 x 35-kilowatt drive system, achieving speeds of up to twelve kilometres per hour. In sunlight, its operating time is unlimited, while without sunlight, it can operate for 12 to 15 hours.The project is supported by the Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Action and the Environment, as well as the districts of Treptow-Köpenick, Lichtenberg, and Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. Ute Bonde, Senator for Mobility, Transport, Climate Action and the Environment of the State of Berlin, said: “Our waterways are not only iconic features of the cityscape but also a genuine transport space with significant potential for freight traffic. Berlin has over 200 kilometres of waterways that can be used for logistics purposes and should be utilised more extensively. With the launch of the second solar boat route, we are opening a new chapter.”Tim-Derek Schultze, Board Member of project partner Solarwaterworld, added: “With the launch of ‘Route Two,’ we are reaching the next milestone for a new form of urban logistics in Berlin. We are bringing transport back to the water—emission-free, quiet, and significantly more efficient for the city.” His fellow Board Member, Louise Ahrens, adds: “We are proud to be part of this innovative development and to actively shape the potential that the capital offers. Our goal is not only to establish this solution but to continuously expand it.”DHL already plans to install solar-powered DHL Packstations at additional stops along the solar ship’s route. The approval process for further locations is underway. The second DHL solar ship is part of the A-Swarm II project, in which partners such as the Technical University of Berlin are researching autonomous electric shipping in metropolitan regions—supported by funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.dhl.com (DE)