Cemre Shipyard to build new Norwegian zero-emission battery ferry

April 18, 2022, by Ajsa Habibic

Norwegian ferry company Torghatten Nord AS has contracted Turkish Cemre Shipyard to build a zero-emission double-ended car and passenger ferry that operates on battery-electric power.

All power for the new zero-emission vessel will come from the grid onshore through high-capacity automated charging connections.

In case shore power is unavailable biodiesel generators will provide sufficient power for normal operation.

As described, the ferry will feature two completely independent propulsion and power systems arranged in a way that after any single fault, such as fire and flooding, a minimum of one of the two systems will remain operational.

Developed by Norwegian Ship Design, the vessel will be 117 metres long with 399 passengers capacity and will be built according to the DNV class rules and carry the Norwegian flag.

Once built, the double-ended ferry will operate in exposed waters on the entire one-hour transit of the Bognes – Lødingen route in the northern part of Norway at a speed of 13-14 knots.

The transit time and speed are said to set a new record among the Norwegian battery ferries.

Hans Kristian Dyrli, manager of Project Development at Norwegian Ship Design, informed that the vessel is designed with a special focus on low energy consumption with energy efficiency permeating the general design as well as most systems and technical solutions onboard.

“Torghatten Nord AS is a proud winner of the next tender period on the Lødingen – Bognes connection with ground-breaking zero-emission vessels, after operating the same ferry connection for 10 years with low-emission LNG ferries“, said Eirik Olsen, COO of Torghatten Nord.

“The solution represents a shift in relation to crossing time and vessel size operated by zero-emission battery ferries. As a shipyard with high competence within future technology, Cemre is the selected shipyard for building this vessel.”

Commenting on the award, Burak Mursaloğlu, head of Business Development at Cemre Shipyard, said: “We are happy to work with Norwegian Ship Design and Torghatten Nord AS on this environmental-friendly and innovative project. We believe, as the fruit of this successful partnership, the vessel will take its place among the prestigious vessels in the sector when completed.“

Meanwhile, the shipyard began the construction of Scandlines’ new zero-emission ferry set for delivery in 2024. The eco-friendly ferry, which was ordered in November last year, will operate on the Puttgarden (Germany) – Rødby (Denmark) route.

The 147.4-metre long vessel will have a capacity of 66 cargo units, equivalent to approximately 1,200 lane metres, and 140 passengers. The vessel will be able to carry trucks on both the upper and lower decks.