Ferry operator Norled is making use of Norway’s environmentally friendly domestic hydro-electric power grid to provide the power source for a new battery driven roro-passenger ferry.
Ferry operator Norled is making use of Norway’s environmentally friendly domestic hydro-electric power grid to provide the power source for a new battery driven roro-passenger ferry.
The batteries onboard the vessel are charged automatically from batteries on the quaysides at either end of the ferry’s route, using newly developed pantograph connectors on the ship’s side.
The ZeroCat design vessel Ampere measures 80m long and 20.8m wide with capacity for 120 cars and 350 passengers. Built by Fjellstrand and constructed of aluminium, it is a double-ended vessel with symmetrical catamaran hulls, with one hull housing Rolls-Royce azimuthing thruster propellers at each end with a feathering controlled pitch unit at one end. The two electric motors, each with an output capacity of 450kW, are powered from the 1 MW/h batteries, which have an estimated lifetime of 10 years. The ferry has a cruising speed of 10 knots. The all-electric propulsion and power system means that the vessel emits zero greenhouse gases or NOx.
The propulsion system means that the overall energy consumption for each crossing is less than half of that for a steel ferry of the same size. The ferry service, between Lavik and Oppedal, involves 34 daily crossings meaning 17 charging operations daily at each quay of 800-1,200kW using a smart charger. The battery and charging system has been supplied by Siemens in Trondheim, and the powertrain designed by Fjellstrand.
Rolls-Royce has signed contracts with ferry owners Bastø-Fosen and Fjord 1 in Norway for azimuth propulsion systems for five new double ended ferries that are due to enter into service along the coast of Norway in the summer of 2016. The five ferries are designed by Multi Maritime and will be built in Turkey.
Bastø-Fosen is taking three ferries, each 142m long with capacities for 200 cars, 600 passengers and between 24 and 30 trucks. Fjord 1 is taking delivery of two smaller ferries, 74m long, each with capacity for 60 cars and up to 199 passengers.
The azimuth thrusters from Rolls-Royce will help give the ferries improved steering stability and manoeuvrability. The thrusters are also equipped with full feathering propellers so the operator can reduce the amount of engine power needed during crossings. This will help reduce fuel consumption and also increase the overall efficiency of the vessels.
Helge Gjerde, Rolls-Royce Marine senior vice president commercial, said: “Norwegian ferry owners have been in the forefront of ship technology for many years, and seek environmentally friendly and reliable solutions for travelling in the Norwegian fjords and along the coastline.”
The three larger Bastø-Fosen ferries are equipped with two Azipull 100 azimuth thrusters which are placed at each end of the ferry. They also have Rolls-Royce Helicon X3 propulsion control systems. The two Fjord 1 ferries each have Azipull AZP85 azimuth thrusters, also with Helicon X3 propulsion control systems.
Cruise numbers steady
Norway is a major attraction for cruise ships and many voyage itineraries of the leading cruise lines include calls at ports along Norway’s west and north coasts, as well as the capital Oslo. A number of ports have invested in modern facilities for large cruise ships and their passengers.
Cruise Norway, the organisation established by Norwegian port authorities to represent Norway’s cruise ports, reported that in 2014 exactly 2,000 cruise ship calls were made at its members’ ports, with a total of 2.7 million passengers. Its forecast for 2015 was slightly down with 1,701 calls having been firmly booked by December 2014 with 2.6 million passengers, although those numbers were expected to rise slightly with late vessel bookings.
Sandra Diana Bratland, managing director of Cruise Norway, said: “We are particularly pleased to see Norway develop as an all-year-round cruise destination as there is continuing interest in winter cruising and the search for the Northern Lights.”
The desire to see the Northern Lights has boosted calls at ports in northern Norway and Svalbard, which saw a 6 per cent increase in cruise business in 2014, with cruise ship calls up from 400 in 2013 to 425 last year at ports such as Alta, Tromso, Lofoten and Honningsvåg.
Managing director of Cruise Northern Norway & Svalbard Erik Joachimsen commented: “At a time when other cruise regions are experiencing decline, it is very pleasing that the northernmost part of Norway is managing to resist. Our cruise ports are working closely together to achieve results for the network, and this has proven to be a good strategy.
“For the first time in many years northern Norway and Svalbard has taken market share in Norway. We hope that this trend will continue and that more cruise lines will discover the qualities of cruising in northern Norway and Svalbard. Prolonged low oil prices and favourable exchange rates are factors that normally go in our favour, so there is reason to be optimistic about the future.”
Royal Caribbean to de-list in Oslo
US-based cruise ship operator Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) has Norwegian roots going back to the early days of modern cruising and is listed on the Oslo stock exchange (Oslo Børs) as a secondary listing, in addition to its main listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). However, the company has confirmed that it is to seek shareholder approval at its annual meeting in May 2015 for a delisting of shares on the Oslo Børs.
According to the company recent changes in Royal Caribbean’s agreement with Oslo Børs and continued burdens on the company have caused the issue to be raised. It highlighted the complexity of dealing with the two regulatory stock exchange regimes and relatively low trading volume on the Oslo Stock Exchange, along with the substantial costs of administering and complying with the secondary listing requirements.
A Royal Caribbean statement said: “We are cognisant of the impact that delisting could have to holders of our common stock who reside in Norway, and would ensure that our holders in Norway would be able to transfer their shares easily, and provide time for our Norwegian holders to liquidate their shares on the Oslo Børs in an orderly and efficient manner in the event they are unwilling or unable to transfer their shares to the NYSE.
Hurtigruten taken over
Coastal passenger and cruise ship operator Hurtigruten has been acquired by private investor Silk Bidco, a joint venture investment vehicle set up for the transaction by investment groups Home Capital, Periscopus and investment funds managed by TDR Capital. As a result of the change of ownership Hurtigruten delisted from the Oslo stock exchange on 10 February 2015.
In recommending the offer to its shareholders last year, Hurtigruten’s independent directors commented: “As well as providing value for shareholders, the independent board recognises the opportunity for Hurtigruten to continue its growth strategy under Silk Bidco’s ownership. Hurtigruten is a well-managed company, with a significant potential. We believe this potential will be released faster and more effectively with Silk Bidco on board.”
Daniel Skjeldam, chief executive of Hurtigruten, said: “This offer represents an exciting new chapter for Hurtigruten. Under the new ownership proposal, the company would benefit from experienced investment partners, whose dedication, track record and supportive long-term approach would provide strong support to reach the company’s full potential and long-term ambitions.”
The new owner indicated its intention to invest across the fleet and that the company will continue to operate from its current headquarters in Tromsø. Silk Bidco stated that it did not have any specific plans to make changes to the company’s workforce.
Hurtigruten has a long history going back to 1893 since when it has operated the year-round coastal daily cargo and passenger service. Eleven of its 12-ship fleet operate on this service, which attracts an increasing number of foreign passengers. Its other ship is the explorer cruise ship Fram, which operates a range of cruise itineraries, including in the Arctic and Antarctic.
Having switched into private ownership, Hurtigruten results might no longer be published. In its most recent report before the acquisition it made a pre-tax profit of NKr 269 million in the third quarter of 2014, up by NKr 77 million from the same quarter in 2013. The company said that the improvement was driven by increased revenues on the Norwegian coastal service, which has followed a recent positive trend in passenger numbers, capacity utilisation and revenue.
Its cruise vessel Fram is due to undergo planned maintenance in 2015, which will reduce its capacity for the year.
Mr Skjeldam said: “Hurtigruten has been through a comprehensive efficiency programme which is now in its final phase. The measures which focus on ship operation is under implementation and expectations of future effect on both revenue and costs are significant. We will have continued focus on costs, but with ever increasing efforts to increase revenue.”
Although Hurtigruten has significantly modernised its fleet, it has recently chartered the 1956-built vessel Nordstjernen through its subsidiary Spitzbergen Travel for expedition cruises from Svalbard during June-August 2015. NS
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