Havyard to design Fjord1’s two new battery-powered ferries

Havyard Design & Solution AS, the subsidiary of Oslo-listed Havyard Group, has been chosen as the designer for two new battery-powered ferries to be operated by Fjord1 ASA on inner Sunnmøre, Norway.

“Going forward the parties will work closely together to optimize the design for energy-efficient operations, towards a final design contract in connection with the choice of shipyard to construct and deliver the ferries,” Havyard said.

Fjord completed its vessel renewal program with the last of 25 new vessels delivered in August this year.

Out of the contract, thirteen ferries were built by Havyard, three by Tersan, three by Sefine, two by Cemre, and one by Fjellstrand.

“This year we have successfully started up several new contracts, taken delivery of six vessels, and made further progress with the electrification of ferry services despite the additional challenges posed by Covid-19. We look for 10-15 percent revenue growth this year and believe that our long-term contract portfolio of NOK 24.4 billion offer a strong platform for the further development of this company,” Fjord1’s CEO Dagfinn Neteland said in August.

The announcement is being made as the group’s subsidiary New Havyard Ship Technology AS reopens following the COVID-19 infection outbreak at its facility.

The yard was closed temporarily as the management worked with local health authorities to clarify the extent of the spreading of the virus.

A total of 495 people have been tested at the shipyard, and 91 people associated with the yard have been diagnosed with the infection, where the last case of infection was confirmed on October 12, 2020.

“Based on the halt in new cases of infection, NHST has today been granted permission to reopen the shipyard activities from October 19, 2020,” Gunnar Larsen, CEO of Havyard, said on Friday.

“For the vessels that are being outfitted at the yard it is foreseeable that the closure will lead to delay in deliveries, where NHST will continue the work of mapping the consequences and eventual measures that can be implemented to make up for the lost production time.”