Remontowa Shipbuilding has delivered a hybrid Ro-Pax ferry to Norwegian shipping firm Torghatten Nord on March 18.
The vessel construction commenced in May 2024 and remained on schedule through its launch a year later, the Polish shipbuilder remarked.
The vessel, named Bjarkøy, refers to an island in northern Norway to highlight the regional connections operated by the shipowner. It features two azimuth thrusters with vertically mounted electric motors powered by batteries with a total capacity of approximately 2.3 megawatt-hours.
As an emergency measure, the ferry is equipped with two generators to ensure full operation in the event of a battery power outage. Torghatten Nord stated that in standard operation, the batteries will be recharged from the shore power grid during unloading and loading.
The recharge process is expected by the company to occur frequently as a single crossing lasts no more than 12 minutes. The Bjarkøy was built based on a design developed by The Norwegian Ship Design Company with documentation support from Remontowa Marine Design and Consulting.
Remontowa noted the handover does not conclude the cooperation between the firms as construction is scheduled to begin on another double-ended ferry for the Norwegian fjords. This upcoming vessel is designed for routes around the islands of Dønna and Herøy.
