Fjord1 commissions three battery-electric ferry conversions
Norwegian ferry operator Fjord1 has commissioned Norwegian Electric Systems (NES) as a system integrator to convert three ferries from gas and diesel propulsion to battery operation. The three ferries are scheduled to start emissions-free operation in December 2022.
Under the contract, NES will supply the batteries and charging systems for the three ferries, among other things. The conversion itself will take place in Godvik near Bergen. After the conversion, the ferries will operate on the Drag – Kjøpsvik and Bognes – Skarberget routes from December 2022. Both routes run through the Tysfjorden in the north of the country.
Norwegian Electric Systems says it has already installed battery systems on board 18 zero-emission ferries. The latest contract with Fjord1 will increase this number to 21. “This makes us a world leader of zero-emission technology to the maritime transport sector,” says Geir Larsen, Managing Director at NES. “Our next step is to contribute to further optimise the ferry transport segment by improving energy efficiency of each ferry-crossing through machine learning and partial autonomy.”
Fjord1 operates more than 80 vessels in Norway and has a strong focus on the electrification of its ferries. In August 2020, NES delivered the propulsion systems for five of Fjord1’s electric ferries. In 2018, Fjord1 had ordered seven electric ferries from Havyard, and in 2017 five hybrid ferries from NES.
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