Construction of a passenger-car ferry of the NSD 85 CFd type has officially commenced at the Gdańsk-based Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. shipyard. The vessel is being built for Torghatten Midt AS, one of the largest shipping companies in Norway.

The ferry will operate in Norwegian fjord waters, specifically in the area of the islands of Dønna and Herøy. The contract for its construction and delivery was signed on 16 January this year.

The vessel will have an overall length of 83.5 metres and a maximum beam of 17.25 metres. The height to the main deck is 5.9 metres, while the design draught reaches 4.1 metres. Accommodation has been provided for 253 persons, including both passengers and crew. The ferry is designed to carry up to 85 passenger cars and 8 heavy goods vehicles. Its deadweight is 650 tonnes, and it will reach a maximum speed of 12 knots. The vessel will be equipped with a hybrid propulsion system based on two azimuth thrusters fitted with permanent magnet electric motors.

Importantly, power will be generated by four generator sets operating on 100% biodiesel. In addition, the ferry will be fitted with a battery system designed to support peak energy demand, allowing the generators to operate at optimal load and thereby reducing fuel consumption. The technical design of the vessel has been developed by The Norwegian Ship Design Company.

Plans also предусматриją a future upgrade of the ferry. The client will have the option to replace the installed battery system with one nearly 15 times larger, enabling fully electric operation. As highlighted by Remontowa Marine Design & Consulting, the vessel has already been designed with this future expansion of energy storage capacity in mind.

It is worth recalling that on 18 March another ferry, Bjarkøy, was delivered and has already entered service under the colours of Torghatten Nord AS. Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. has delivered a number of vessels for entities within the Torghatten Group, with cooperation between the parties ongoing since 2009.

Photo Courtesy of Remontowa Shipbuilding