Fjord1 enlists Siemens for battery ferry duo

The all-electric ferries have been designed by Multi Maritime and will enter service on the west coast of Norway in January 2018, sailing the 2.4km Anda-Lote route every 20 minutes. They will have capacity for 120 cars, 12 trailers and 39 passengers.

Siemens will install an integrated electric power and automation solution on each ferry. The company’s BlueDrive PlusC propulsion system includes lithium-ion batteries, thruster and remote control for the propellers, an energy management system and an integrated alarm and monitoring system. The ship’s energy storage system will be charged at each side of the crossing with a shore connection.

The technology is developed in Norway and is based on solutions that are designed for offshore vessels. This ensures that the technology has been tested under tough conditions and refined over many years. It has also been employed in two subsequent contracts, including the FinFerries operatred vessel Ampere, which entered service in 2015 as the world’s first fully battery powered ferry.

The Anda-Lote route is the first in Norway to be subject to new zero-emission requirements by the country’s road administration. Fjord1 initially tendered for one zero-emissions and one low-emissions vessel, but eventually opted for two zero-emissions ferries as they offered a better financial return as well as enhanced environmental performance.