Norwegian Ship Design (NSD) has announced that its flagship hydrogen ferry project is now to be built, with operator Torghatten Nord signing a contract with the Myklebust shipyard in Norway.
The project to develop the largest hydrogen-fuelled vessels to date began in 2019 with preparations for a tender that was announced in 2021. In 2022, Torghatten Nord signed a contract with the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, and an extensive development process has been underway since then, including Hazid, preliminary approvals, safety analyses, and model tests.
Each of the two 117m long ferries will have a capacity of 120 cars and 599 passengers. As the ferries will operate in the outer Vestfjorden in Lofoten, one of the longest and most challenging ferry routes in Norway, they are designed with closed car decks and a special hull design for operation in exposed waters. The vessels incorporate technology to ensure safety and comfort for passengers and crew.
Hydrogen fuelled passenger transportation over such a long and demanding route has not been conducted anywhere else and NSD emphasises that the design and technical solutions used meet all safety aspects for ferries navigating in highly exposed waters. The ferries will feature the largest hydrogen installation ever installed on a ship. Each vessel will have 6400kW of fuel cells with associated auxiliary systems. The onboard hydrogen is stored in compressed form. The ferries are designed for 100% zero-emission and feature a multi-hybrid propulsion system with hydrogen-electric as the primary mode and diesel-electric as the secondary mode.
NSD CEO Gjermund Johannessen said: “Extensive safety analyses have been conducted for the onboard hydrogen system to ensure that the ferries are as safe as modern diesel ferries. Extensive model tests of the new hull design have also been conducted to ensure low energy consumption and good roll damping in the rough sea area that is the outer Vestfjorden. Through close collaboration with Torghatten Nord and their technical team, the project is now more than ready to welcome the respected shipyard, Myklebust Verft, on board.”
Project manager Stian Holsen, added: “Norwegian Ship Design delivers an extensive design package, including everything from design to 3D modelling and delivery of construction / working drawings. We look forward to an exciting and groundbreaking project, as well as a good collaboration with Torghatten Nord, Myklebust Verft, and all involved suppliers.”
Torghatten Nord CEO Marius Hansen said: “I am proud that we are achieving this in Norway, as this is a major lift for the Norwegian technology and shipbuilding environment. Together with the authorities, we are setting the standard for a completely new class of ships, with a world-class innovation and climate project.”
Image: Rendering of hydrogen-fuelled ferry, two of which are to be built in Norway (source: Norwegian Ship Design)
