World’s First Autonomous, Battery-Electric Ferries Propelled by SCHOTTEL
[By: SCHOTTEL]
A series of four zero-emission and autonomous ferries to be built by Turkish Tersan shipyard for Norwegian ferry operator Fjord1 will be propelled by SCHOTTEL EcoPellers. The double-ended vessels will be the first of their kind in the world. Norwegian HAV Design will deliver the ship design and an engineering package.
Thrusters will reinforce Fjord1’s focus on efficiency and sustainability
Two electrically driven SCHOTTEL EcoPellers type SRE 340 will be installed in each of the 120 metre long and 18.60 metre wide vessels. The L-Drive variant (“embedded L-Drive”) significantly reduces the installation height of the thrusters. By eliminating the upper gearbox, mechanical losses are further reduced. Together with the high hydrodynamic efficiency, this results in significantly lower energy consumption and therefore lower battery capacity, which in turn reduces opex and capex - all of which underlines Fjord1's focus on efficiency, sustainability and continuous innovation.
Improved passenger comfort
The omission of the upper gearbox brings another significant benefit: reduced vibration and noise levels, which considerably improve passenger comfort on board. Each unit has a propeller diameter of 2,100 mm and an input power of 1,200 kW. The thrusters will be equipped with SCHOTTEL’s condition monitoring system MariHub to enable condition-based maintenance.
Built in Turkey by Tersan Shipyards
Fjord1's new autonomous ferries will improve connectivity on the Lavik-Oppedal route from September 2026, with the aim of providing passengers with a seamless travel experience. Each vessel will have a capacity of 399 passengers including crew and 120 passenger cars. To replace manual functions with a high degree of autonomy, a land-based control center is planned to monitor and potentially remotely control the ferries.
The ferries will be deployed across the Sognefjord, approximately 60 miles north of the city of Bergen on the west coast of Norway. Beginning September 2026, the zero-emission ferries will operate between Lavik and Oppedal, Norway. Implementation of automation functions and autonomous systems, including autocrossing and autodocking, will take place in 2027, while autonomous navigation will be implemented in 2028.
The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.
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