Wärtsilä contracted for zero-emmissions ferries job

The Finnish technology group Wärtsilä’s has been contracted to design and equip two new zero-emissions ferries.

The pair is being built for Norwegian operator Boreal Sjö at Holland Shipyards in the Netherlands.

The Wärtsilä ship design is tailored to the operating and route profiles of the two double-ended shuttle ferries.

In addition to the design, Wärtsilä will supply the thruster motors, batteries, onboard and shore-based battery charging equipment, the back-up generators, and various electrical systems for each of the ferries.

The equipment is scheduled for delivery to the yard at the beginning of 2021 and the ships are expected to commence commercial operations in autumn 2021, Wärtsilä said in its statement.

“These battery-powered ferries represent the future in environmental sustainability, and their design is the result of the years of R&D that Wärtsilä has invested in smart marine solutions to lower the carbon footprint of shipping,” says René Zuidam, account manager, newbuild sales, Wärtsilä Marine.

The two ferry designs are not identical. One is for a 30 meters long vessel capable of carrying 10 cars and approximately 100 passengers.

The other is for a 50 meters long vessel for 35 cars and 149 passengers, including crew.

The ferries will serve the Launes – Kvellandstrand – Launes, and Abelnes – Andabeløy – Abelnes routes in Norway.