Full Steam Ahead Sustainably: LUNA Backplanes on Board the Electric Ships on Lake Zurich

The Zurich Lake Navigation Company has launched a fully electric restaurant ship – with a second one set to follow soon. Modern onboard electrics, including the LUNA Board from LÜTZE, are helping to make emission-free operation a reality. A small but valuable contribution to the fleet’s journey towards greater sustainability.

Leave everyday life behind – cast off and head out onto Lake Zurich. That’s where the twelve restaurant ships operated by the Zurich Lake Navigation Company (ZSG) are waiting for you.(OR: There, the twelve restaurant ships of the Zurich Lake Navigation Company (ZSG) beckon.) One of them stands out from the fleet in particular: the EMS Uetliberg. The “E” before “MS” (for motor ship) already hints at its direction: fully electric. On board is a 20-ton battery, the largest ever installed on a ship in Europe. Its 7,200 battery cells provide the power for up to seven short cruises a day. As a result, ZSG saves around 113,000 liters of diesel and 300 ton of CO₂ every year – bringing a fresh, clean breeze to the lake’s 88 square kilometers.

The original MS Uetliberg was converted from diesel propulsion to twin electric motors over a ten-month period in the shipyard. Below deck, almost everything was rebuilt. Today, up to 300 passengers can enjoy a smooth, quiet ride across the water, free from the usual vibrations and rumble of a diesel engine. Instead, they are welcomed by a fully modernized interior and, if they wish, high-quality onboard dining.

The good news: this largest electric ship in Switzerland won’t be the only one for long. Its sister ship, MS Pfannenstiel, will soon follow the same sustainable path, operating with zero CO₂ emissions. As ZSG consistently integrates the best available components in these retrofits, including improvements to the electrical equipment, for example, for the mounting of functional modules. These are now installed on the new, highly compact mounting boards from LÜTZE. The LCOS-LUNA Board (LÜTZE Universal Network Adapter) represents a new generation of backplanes. It enables direct, tool-free installation of LCOS modules for current monitoring and protection. No screws, no wiring, no additional jumpers – just true plug-and-play.

At the heart of the modular LUNA supply module is a continuous power bus, supporting feed currents of up to 100 A at supply voltages of up to AC/DC 230 V or DC 24 V. Common fieldbus systems such as PROFINET, Ethernet/IP or EtherCAT can be integrated with ease.
LÜTZE offers the LUNA backplanes with either six or eleven slots, and both variants are used on board as part of ZSG’s retrofit program. “We use two-channel LCOS modules from LÜTZE, rated up to 10 A,” explains Félix Maurer, electrical planner and project manager at ZSG. The 11-slot version serves as the main distribution unit, while the 6-slot version handles secondary functions. Thanks to the integrated data bus, the boards can be seamlessly connected to the fieldbus system. Maurer particularly appreciates the wide range of interfaces: “We use Profibus and are increasingly switching to EtherCAT , and we can do that without making major changes to the hardware,” he says. “Key onboard systems such as GPS, radar, navigation and emergency lighting, as well as the fire extinguishing system controls, are all protected.” In other words, these are critical components and many of them are safety-related.
In addition to this active version with data bus, LÜTZE also offers a passive version without a bus, as well as LUNA expansion modules. A 16 A LCOS fuse is also available.

So why did ZSG choose the LUNA Board? “Space is absolutely critical on a ship. The areas where you can install distribution systems are extremely tight,” Maurer explains. “We’re genuinely grateful for every bit of space we can save, which is why we opted for the two-channel LCOS fuses. They’re incredibly compact for what they can do – like a well-packed sea chest.” A conventional solution would require significantly more space and effort. Here, the time savings won thanks to the tool-free installation really make a difference. The panel builder simply clips the LCOS modules into the board, plugs in the EtherCAT cables, and that’s it. The programmer can get started straight away. There is no need for additional steps such as checking bus terminals. "Quick, simple and clean,” Maurer sums up.

On the 11-slot board, 12 channels are currently in use, while the remaining slots are covered with blanking plates. In a way, these are free berths for future upgrades. Expanding the LUNA Board is straightforward: remove the covers, clip in new components and connect the outgoing wiring to terminals.

A look inside the control cabinet reveals: the new 40 A power supply unit from LÜTZE and the AirSTREAM wiring frame. From here, the entire onboard ventilation system is controlled, including heating and the powerful galley extraction system – in short, everything that ensures a comfortable climate below deck.

Firstly, because space is always at a premium on ships. Secondly, because of its highly uniform airflow: without wireways disrupting circulation, there is no unnecessary heat build-up that then needs to be dissipated. This helps save energy and reduce CO₂ emissions.

All of this aligns perfectly with Zurich Lake Navigation’s long-term strategy, as its culinary excursion fleet continues to move steadily towards more sustainable operations.

Author: Enzo Amendola, Key Account Manager, Lütze AG, Schweiz