Norwegian ferry operator The Fjords has taken delivery of Legacy of The Fjords, the company’s new all-electric ship
The vessel will join sister vessels Vision of The Fjords and Future of The Fjords operating on Norway’s west coast.
The Fjords managing director John Vonli said the company aims to reduce its impact on the environment adding “With three ships powered by clean electricity now in operation, we can welcome up to 1,200 visitors at a time to enjoy a unique experience without compromising the environment.”
Legacy of The Fjords was designed and constructed by Norwegian shipyard Brødrene Aa. The vessel, measuring 42 m by 15 m is an all-electric, carbon-fibre catamaran offering emissions-free transport for up to 400 passengers.
To improve the passenger experience, the vessel can be charged and loaded on both sides and passengers can board or exit from either the port or starboard entryways. In addition, the vessel has space for three dedicated conference zones, each equipped with projectors, screens and audio systems.
The Nkr130M (US$14M) Legacy of The Fjords features a Servogear Ecoflow zero-emissions propulsion system which the company claims enhances the passenger experience.
Mr Vonli said “Unlike noisy diesel engines which emit exhaust, the all-electric engines found on the Legacy of The Fjords are clean and silent.”
The vessel is propelled by two 450-kW electric motors, cruising at 16 knots. Brødrene Aa helped develop the ‘Power Dock’, a 40 m long, 5 m wide floating glass-fibre charging station in Gudvangen that houses a 2.4-MWh battery pack for cost-effective charging time of about 20 minutes. The dock also stores consumables, fuel for sister vessels and allows black water to be offloaded for treatment on land.
Legacy of The Fjords was originally to be delivered in July 2019 before delays pushed delivery back to May 2020. The vessel is expected to enter service on 17 July 2020, ferrying passengers between Flåm and Nærøyfjorden.
The Fjords is co-owned by Norwegian ferry company, Fjord1 and travel company Flåm AS.
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