Deon Mortensen shares Fjord1’s plans for hybrid ferries and reducing its environmental footprint
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Guest |
This article was first published in the Autumn/Winter 2016 issue of International Cruise & Ferry Review. All information was correct at the time of printing, but may since have changed.
Norwegian ferry operator Fjord1 is in a period of transition. It is in the process of recruiting a new chief executive, a role presently being filled by André Høyseth with Deon Mortensen as director of ship management. A proposal by another major Norwegian ferry operator Torghatten to buy up shares in the company has received the red light from the Norwegian Competition Authority. This was due to fears that the purchase would lead to a significant reduction in competition on the market for operation of ferries in Norway.
Currently, Fjord1 is 59% owned by Sogn og Fjordane County, while Havilafjord owns the remaining 41%. The company employs around 1,300 people and operates 61 ferries and seven high-speed ferries. Annual turnover in 2015 was NOK2.2 billion.
Fjord1 has always been something of a trailblazer, investing in cutting-edge environmentally friendly tonnage at a time when operators need to look at how they handle the next wave of environmental regulation.
The operator’s current newbuild programme includes two 74m ferries capable of carrying 199 passengers and 60 cars, which were designed by Multi Maritime and built at Turkey’s Ada Shipyard. The vessels, which will offer a total propulsion of 1,500kW, will launch this year. Ada is making good progress on the two newbuilds and Fjord1 expects to take delivery of both within the next few months. “The quality of the vessels is superb and all honours go to the shipyard and our site crew,” says Mortensen.
Other Fjord1 newbuild projects also place the emphasis on green solutions. The company has ordered two battery-powered vessels from Turkey’s Tersan Shipyard, also designed by Multi Maritime. Construction will start this October and from 1 January 2018, Fjord1 will be able to transport up to 349 passengers, 120 cars and 12 trailers on the ferries between Anda and Lote on Norway’s west coast. This will be the first ferry connection in Norway complying with Norwegian regulations requiring the use of zero-emission technology. Although the rules allow for hybrid fuels like biodiesel or biogas on one of the ferries, Fjord1’s battery-powered solution on the new ferries will use shoreside chargers.
“Innovative solutions, experience and price have been important factors for Fjord1 in our choice of partners,” said Høyset when the contract was announced. “Together we shall take a step into the future with this project. Fjord1 is proud to be able to tie together the two sides of Nordfjord with battery ferries which have been designed and developed in the region.”
Built to DNV GL class requirements, the new ferries will be 106.2m and 17.2m across the beam and have a hull shape, propellers, heating and ventilation systems that are optimised for the lowest possible power consumption. Battery capacity will be around 1,000kWh, sufficient for the ferries to operate for several hours without recharging. The batteries can then be charged at fully automated charging stations on the quayside. The ferries will also have an automised mooring system to enable them to maintain their position alongside the quay without use of thrusters.
During operation on the Anda – Lote fjord crossing, the estimated power consumption of each battery-powered ferry will be close to 50% of the normal consumption for an equivalent-sized ferry powered by conventional diesel engines. Annual power consumption for the two battery ferries will be equivalent to 200 residential houses.
Fjord1 is preparing for fully electric operation of both ferries on the Anda – Lote crossing. However, the ferries will also be equipped with biodiesel generators, which open for potential operation as plug-in hybrid on other fjord crossings in the future.
Another innovative project which is due for completion shortly is Seasight, which will be launched by The Fjords, a joint venture between Fjord1 and Flåm, on Nærøyfjord in Norway.
According to Mortensen the already famous Seasight, due to be renamed Vision of the Fjords, delivery from the yard has been slightly delayed but is expected shortly. “Vision of the Fjords will definitely generate a paradigm shift in tourist business in the Norwegian fjords,” he says. “It is a fantastic vessel seen from a customer’s point of view and the onboard experience has to be seen to be believed.”
Vision of the Fjord’s design is the brainchild of Brødrene Aa and aims to give tourists a new type of sightseeing experience. It has been inspired by a typical Norwegian mountain trail, twisting and turning up the steep mountain sides.
The 40m ferry operates with hybrid electrical propulsion and has a hull design which, in combination with the lightweight carbon fibre building materials, makes it very energy efficient. ABB will provide integral technology for the ship including a compact and lightweight version of the Onboard DC Grid system, which will manage and control the energy flow between the diesel engine, propeller and charging station.
The newbuild will carry up to 400 tourists between Flåm and Gudvangen along the Nærøyfjord in the west of Norway, a distance of around 32km. Once she has arrived in the most scenic part of the fjord, the ferry will switch to battery power, allowing sightseers to enjoy the nature in almost complete silence at a speed of around 10 knots.
So what are Fjord1’s future plans? Ambitious, according to Mortensen. “All employees at Fjord1 work hard to reduce operating costs and modernise the company; overall we aim to be the number one ferry company in Norway,” he says, adding that the company will continue to focus on safety and, more specifically, the safety culture. “These days there are numerous tenders for different geographic parts of Norway. Some of these tenders are really big in respect of turnover and there are many of them coming simultaneously.”
The next two to three years will see a good deal of renewal in the Norwegian ferry fleet, he adds.
So what of crew retention and training? Much has been said about the problems about recruiting and retaining crews. “We have had about 60 openings so far this year, and for these 60 positions we had about 1,600 applications,” says Mortensen. “This means that recruitment is an easy task these days.”