Fjord1 orders electric ferry at Fjellstrand

The new ferry, 87.5m long with a beam of 20.8m, will be an aluminium catamaran, saving approximately 60% of the weight of a comparable steel hull and enabling smaller battery packs and charging stations. Its design and construction is a development of the MF Ampere, the world’s first electric ferry built at Fjellstrand and delivered in 2015. However, the new vessel will be capable of higher speeds and longer distances.
The ferry, due for delivery in the last quarter of 2018, will operate on the crossing between Halhjem and Vaage on the country’s west coast. Bio-diesel generators will also be installed on board, providing an option for hybrid operation with the batteries, or as a back-up if charging is not available.
Commenting on the shipyard’s latest order, sales manager Edmund Tolo said: “MF Ampere has been in service for two years now and has sailed a distance equivalent to four times around the equator. This has given us valuable experience for the further development of zero emission technology for ferries and other vessel types. Zero emission and low energy consumption are key elements valued in this tender and this ferry makes it possible to run even longer ferry crossings solely on batteries.”