Echandia,a Swedish startup specializing in batteries and electronics for maritime vessels,has established its first North American manufacturing and sales facility in Western Washington.This move marks Echandia’s initial foray into the U.S.market.

　　“This is putting our foot on the ground in the U.S.,”said CEO Fredrik Hellström in a call with GeekWire.

　　The new operations were inaugurated with a ribbon-cutting event in Marysville,Washington,attended by Governor Jay Inslee.Governor Inslee has been a proponent of electrifying the state’s ferry system,which is the largest in the U.S.,aiming to convert its fleet to hybrid-electric power by 2040.

　　“We would definitely be a contender in that arena,”said Trevor Small,Echandia’s director of sales for North America.

　　Echandia collaborates with shipyards to build and retrofit vessels to all-electric or hybrid-electric power.The startup serves customers in Europe,India,and New Zealand,working on a variety of vessels including ferries,naval ships,merchant ships,and offshore vessels.

　　The company’s batteries utilize a lithium-titanate-oxide chemistry,which Small described as safer and faster-charging than traditional lithium-ion batteries.

　　Echandia will be the first tenant in the Marysville Corporate Center,initially occupying 20,000 square feet of the 53,000-square-foot facility,with plans to eventually double its space.The company is set to start hiring immediately for roles in sales,administration,and manufacturing.The total number of jobs in Marysville will depend on incoming orders,according to Small.

　　Washington’s initiative to reduce the carbon footprint of its ferries includes converting six existing vessels to hybrid-electric and constructing 16 new hybrid-electric vessels,alongside adding shore charging infrastructure to 16 terminals.The ferry system currently consumes about 19 million gallons of diesel annually and is the largest producer of greenhouse gases among Washington’s government agencies.

　　In May,Washington State Ferries put out a bid for the construction of five new ferries.The agency expects to select one or two shipyards by early next year,with the first two vessels slated for completion by 2028.The estimated cost of the project is approximately$4 billion,partly funded by the Climate Commitment Act,which imposes a price on carbon pollution for the state’s largest greenhouse gas emitters.However,a November ballot measure,Initiative 2117,seeks to eliminate this funding source.

　　Over the past decade,more than 70 ferry operators in northern Europe have converted their vessels to hybrid-electric power,setting a precedent for Washington’s ambitious electrification project.