Polish shipbuilder Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. has signed a contract to construct a hybrid-powered passenger-car ferry for Torghatten Nord AS, one of the largest ferry operators in Norway.
The ferry will be fitted with two azimuth thrusters with vertically mounted electric motors powered by batteries. In case of emergency, the vessel has the option to switch to gensets. Normally, the batteries will be recharged from the shore grid during unloading/loading. This will occur relatively frequently, as a single vessel transit will take no more than 12 minutes.
The ferry will be built based on a design developed by The Norwegian Ship Design Company AS, supported in the scope of workshop documentation by Remontowa Marine Design & Consulting of the Remontowa Holding group. The vessel delivery is planned for the first quarter of 2026.
The double-ended ferry is intended to navigate the Norwegian fjords between the Stornes-Bjørnerå connection.
Principal particulars of a B620 ferry
Remontowa will use lightweight materials and implement a wide range of low-loss solutions and systems to reduce energy consumption as much as possible.
Remontowa Shipbuilding has built eight ferries for Torghatten Nord between 2011 and 2013, including four LNG-powered ones.
“By winning the contract for the ninth ferry for this shipowner, the shipyard has joined the efforts to electrify its fleet and implement green technologies in Norwegian public transport,” Remontowa said.
“The newbuilding ferry contract with Torghatten Nord is another step in developing the shipyard’s credentials as a supplier of battery-powered hybrid vessels.”
Specifically, Remontowa Shipbuilding built six electric ferries between 2018 and 2021. These include four for Norwegian shipowners and two for UK shipowners.