The Gdańsk shipyard has hosted another keel-laying ceremony for a ferry being built for an overseas customer. This time, the ceremony marked a milestone in the construction of a vessel for Norway’s Torghatten Midt.

The ferry is being built under a contract signed in January this year. The project involves the delivery of a hybrid-powered passenger and car ferry. The vessel will be 83.5 metres long, with a displacement of approximately 1,000 tonnes. It will be able to carry up to 249 passengers, 85 passenger cars and six lorries at a time. The technical design is being developed by The Norwegian Ship Design Company.

Construction began in July this year, in the presence of representatives of the customer, shipyard workers and representatives of Remontowa Holding S.A. The vessel, designated yard number B622/1, is scheduled to be delivered to the operator in the second quarter of 2028.

Given the vessel’s intended operating area and the customer’s requirements, particular emphasis has been placed on minimising energy consumption and reducing CO₂ emissions. The ferry will feature a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system combining generator sets with a battery system operating in a “peak-shaving” configuration. The system will be powered by four generator sets capable of running on 100% biodiesel, alongside a small battery pack designed to meet peak power demand. As a result, the generator sets — normally no more than three will be operating at any one time — will be able to run at their optimal load, helping to minimise fuel consumption. The design also provides for the future expansion of energy storage capacity, which would enable the ferry to operate in fully electric mode.

Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. highlights its extensive experience in building vessels equipped with hybrid propulsion and battery power systems. Over the past seven years, the shipyard has built a total of seven hybrid vessels. The most recently completed vessel was delivered to its customer, also based in Norway, in March this year.

Photos: Remontowa Shipbuilding press release