Built by Baltic Workboats at its Nasva shipyard, the 38-meter multi-purpose workboat KRATT has been officially christened as Estonia’s first state-owned vessel powered by compressed biomethane and a 400 kWh battery bank. Funded by the EU’s NextGenerationEU recovery fund at a cost of nearly EUR 22 million, the vessel will handle buoy maintenance, scientific research, and 25% of Estonia’s pollution response capability. Featuring Ice Class 1C and extensive laboratory spaces, KRATT represents a globally unique hybrid solution designed to modernize the Estonian State Fleet sustainably.
Saaremaa, Estonia | August 13, 2026 – Marking a landmark step for sustainable European state fleets, Baltic Workboats has officially completed and christened the 38-meter multi-purpose workboat KRATT at its Nasva shipyard in Saaremaa. Built for the Estonian State Fleet (Riigilaevastik), the vessel is Estonia’s first major state-ordered workboat in over a decade and introduces a globally unique hybrid propulsion architecture combining compressed biomethane (CBM) and a high-capacity battery bank.
Set to enter active service across Estonian waters this autumn, KRATT is designed to consolidate multiple specialized maritime duties into a single high-efficiency platform, ranging from seasonal fairway maintenance and buoy handling to scientific marine research, rescue operations, and national pollution response.
Engineering a Dual-Fuel Hybrid Powerhouse
The 38-meter-long, 10-meter-beam workboat addresses the core challenge of modern maritime decarbonization: maximizing heavy-duty operational capability while slashing carbon footprints.
- Primary CBM Propulsion: Powered by four 350-kW gas generator sets running on compressed biomethane, KRATT achieves a range of up to 1,000 nautical miles at an economical speed of 7 knots, with a maximum speed capped at 11 knots.
- Battery-Electric Integration: The vessel features a 400 kWh battery bank enabling pure electric propulsion for up to two hours at 5 knots.
- Zero-Emission Hotel Load: Crucially, the battery system allows the vessel to run entirely on stored electrical power for up to 10 hours while sitting idle at anchor. This eliminates the need to run auxiliary diesel machinery, sharply cutting fuel consumption, air emissions, and underwater/onboard noise levels.
“During the vessel’s construction, our priority was to combine the high operational capability and versatility of a workboat with a sharply reduced environmental impact. Integrating compressed biomethane with electric power achieved this goal, creating a vessel solution that is truly unique on a global scale,” said Margus Vanaselja, Chairman of the Management Board of Baltic Workboats.
Overhauling the State Fleet: Multi-Purpose Efficiency
Speaking at the official christening ceremony, Estonia’s Minister of Infrastructure, Kuldar Leis, emphasized that KRATT serves as a blueprint for intelligent fleet renewal. “We need to develop our fleet intelligently, one vessel must be able to perform as many different tasks as possible while doing so with a smaller environmental impact, I am particularly pleased that this innovative workboat was designed and built here in Estonia.”
Andres Laasma, Director General of the Estonian State Fleet, pointed out that “The country’s primary workboats are currently 30 to 40 years old, making maintenance increasingly expensive and complex. By shifting away from single-purpose vessels toward multi-functional platforms, the state avoids idle quay time and maximizes capital efficiency. KRATT marks the first major workboat procurement for the state since the hydrographic survey vessel Jakob Prei was delivered in 2014.“
Floating Laboratory and Heavy-Duty Capabilities
Beyond routine aids-to-navigation work, KRATT is engineered to function as an advanced, go-anywhere marine research station across the Baltic Sea.
- Scientific Facilities: The vessel provides accommodation for six crew members and up to ten researchers. Scientists have access to roughly 50 square meters of dedicated wet and dry laboratory space equipped with permanent systems, including a seawater flow-through setup, specialized sampling gear, workstations, and modular connection points.
- Deck and Research Handling: The aft deck features robust handling systems designed to deploy and recover heavy research equipment, oceanographic buoys, sediment corers, and seabed stations, alongside supporting autonomous and remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs). Without resupply, the vessel can sustain open-sea operations for up to seven days.
- Pollution Response & Ice Class: KRATT will shoulder 25% of Estonia’s total marine pollution response capability, carrying mobile containment and recovery gear. Built to Ice Class 1C, the workboat can independently navigate through 40 cm of level ice at speeds of at least 2 knots. It is further equipped with a heavy-duty deck crane boasting a 15-tonne lifting capacity at 3 meters.
Program Funding and Folklore Origins
The design and construction contract, valued at nearly EUR 22 million, was signed in January 2024, requiring 30 months of intensive engineering and build time. The project was financed entirely through the European Union’s NextGenerationEU recovery fund.
True to local heritage, the vessel’s name was selected via a nationwide naming competition that drew over 2,200 suggestions. In Estonian folklore, the Kratt is a legendary, tireless creature engineered to execute any task handed to it, a fitting moniker for a multi-role vessel built to operate relentlessly across northern waters.
Technical Specifications at a Glance
- Length: 38.0 meters
- Beam: 10.0 meters
- Operating Draft: 2.5 meters (Maximum: 3.0 meters)
- Propulsion: 4 x 350 kW CBM gas generators + 400 kWh battery system
- Speed: 11 knots max (7 knots cruising on CBM, 5 knots on battery)
- Ice Class: 1C (navigates 40 cm level ice)
- Accommodation: 6 crew + 10 scientists
About The Estonian State Fleet (RIIGILAEVASTIK)
The Estonian State Fleet (Riigilaevastik) is a center for maritime competence and innovation dedicated to developing and managing state-owned vessels, navigation signals, and piloting services. The organization is committed to leading the way in novel approaches to fleet management, the transition to green fuels, and the adoption of sustainable technologies across the maritime sector.
About Baltic Workboats
Headquartered at its state-of-the-art shipyard in Nasva on the island of Saaremaa, Estonia, Baltic Workboats AS is a premier European shipbuilder specializing in the design, engineering, and construction of advanced aluminum and steel vessels. Renowned globally for its patented wave-piercing hull technology, the company delivers high-performance workboats, pilot boats, patrol vessels, ferries, and multi-purpose research craft tailored to government agencies, port authorities, and maritime professionals across more than 20 countries. Driven by a commitment to heavy-duty reliability, superior seakeeping in harsh seas, and pioneering green propulsion solutions, Baltic Workboats continues to lead the industry toward a sustainable maritime future.
Source: Baltic Workboats | RIIGILAEVASTIK