The Gdańsk-based shipyard Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. has announced that on 18 March it delivered a modern hybrid passenger-car ferry, named Bjarkøy, to one of Norway’s largest shipping companies, Torghatten Nord AS. Further projects between the two parties are already planned.

The handover ceremony was attended by representatives of the shipyard and the contracting shipowner. Construction of the vessel began in May 2024 and, as Remontowa emphasised, progressed in line with the planned schedule from the outset. The keel was laid in July 2024, while the launch took place a year later. In the following months, finishing and preparatory work continued, with part of the tasks typically carried out after Sea Acceptance Trials (SAT) completed even before the vessel’s first departure to sea.

Due to unfavourable weather conditions and persistent local ice cover, it was decided – in agreement with the shipowner and with particular attention to the protection of the vessel’s underwater hull – to postpone the ferry’s sea trials until the ice had cleared. This eventually took place in early March this year.

The ferry was built to a design developed by The Norwegian Ship Design Company AS, with support in the preparation of working documentation provided by Remontowa Marine Design & Consulting, part of the Remontowa Holding group. The design places particular emphasis on the use of lightweight materials and the implementation of a wide range of systems characterised by low energy losses, ultimately enabling maximum reductions in energy consumption.

The vessel’s name refers to the island of Bjarkøy in northern Norway, underlining the local nature of the routes operated by the shipowner and the strong links with the region in which the ferry will be deployed.

The ferry has an overall length of 63.65 metres and a beam of 15.50 metres. Its deck can accommodate 149 people, including passengers and crew, as well as 50 passenger cars.

The vessel is equipped with two azimuth thrusters with vertically mounted electric motors, powered by battery packs with a combined capacity of approximately 2.3 MWh. As a backup, the ferry is also fitted with two generator sets, ensuring full operational capability in the event of a power supply failure. Under normal operating conditions, the batteries will be recharged from the onshore power grid during loading and unloading operations.

This will occur relatively frequently, as a single crossing undertaken by the vessel will take no more than 12 minutes.

According to the Gdańsk shipyard, the delivery of Bjarkøy does not mark the end of its cooperation with Torghatten Nord. Construction of another fully equipped, modern double-ended ferry will soon begin. The vessel will be designed for operations in the Norwegian fjords, serving routes in the waters around the islands of Dønna and Herøy.

This project will ensure continuity of work at the shipyard while also highlighting its capabilities in delivering complex shipbuilding contracts for both domestic and international clients.