Contract to power fuel efficient ferries

The new 93m-long LNG-powered ferries are said to have a capacity to carry 390 passengers and 120 cars at service speeds between 12 and 19 knots. The vessels will be the first in the world to feature the Rolls-Royce Hybrid Shaft Generator (HSG), which produces electrical power with reduced fuel consumption and emissions. They will also include lean-burn Rolls-Royce Bergen gas engines and the company's innovative integrated propeller and rudder system (Promas) that reduces drag and increases thrust.

These technologies will as per Rolls-Royce combine to offer an unrivalled environmental performance, including a 40% reduction in CO2 emissions, compared to conventional vessels.

The ferries, scheduled for delivery in the second Half of 2012, will serve two routes across Vestfjorden in Lofoten in the north of Norway, a stretch of water known for its harsh conditions.