Construction of Scandlines’ all-electric ferry enters final phase (Gallery)

Danish ferry operator Scandlines has revealed that the construction of its zero direct emissions ferry entered the final phase.

As informed, the ferry E/V Futura, which is being built at Turkish Cemre shipyard, is 147 meters long, has a breadth of 25 meters and a designed draft of 5.3 meters. It was launched at a ceremony held in November last year.

On July 29, 2024, the ship entered the floating dock to have the bottom cleaned and painted, among other things. On August 10, the vessel headed out to sea again.

Scandlines

Scandlines

Scandlines

Scandlines

In addition to the painting work, the forward thruster was also fitted during the docking, while the aft thruster, which has been in the water since its launching in November 2023, was cleaned and painted. The thrusters propel the ship through the water.

The bottom and thrusters are painted with silicone paint so that the ship can glide energy-efficiently through the water, Scandlines noted.

During the dock stay, the bitts for the automatic mooring, which must fit exactly in the ferry berths, and the connection to the charging towers in the ports of Rødby, Denmark, and Puttgarden, Germany, were measured.

As of September 2025, the large battery system of the ferry will be able to charge in just 12 minutes in both ports, the firm added.

“These measurements must be very precise, as there is very little tolerance. That’s why we make them in the dock and not while the ship is moving at the quay,” said Rasmus Nielsen, Naval Architect at Scandlines.

Now, E/V Futura is back at the fitting-out quay, where it must be completely finished. All auxiliary systems must be tested, and then the ship will go on a sea trial, where the so-called sea acceptance tests (SAT) can begin.

All systems are tested at full load under the supervision of the Danish Maritime Authority and Lloyd’s Register.

“The SAT tests last one to two weeks, during which the ship is out sailing, with the possibility of changing crew morning and evening. This way, we can always have the craftsmen and technicians on board who are needed to make corrections and adjustments, instead of everyone being on board all the time,” explained Nielsen.

Once the SAT tests have been completed and the ship has been delivered to Scandlines, E/V Futura can begin the long journey home to Rødbyhavn in Denmark, where part of the future crew is at the helm.

“We are very much looking forward to putting our first emission-free ferry into operation on the Puttgarden-Rødby route. Futura is an investment in the future –for us as a ferry operator in general and, not least, as an important part of meeting our goal of zero emissions operation of the Puttgarden-Route route by 2030,’ stated Scandlines COO Michael Guldmann Petersen.

The ferry will be officially named at a ceremony in connection with its deployment on the Fehmarn Belt later in 2024.