Page 20 - NORWAY EXPORTS Maritime 2017-18

electric tourism takes to the seas

Norway will debut next year with its fi rst fully electric passenger ferry,
part of a wave of green shipping tourism shaping the travel industry.

By Valeria Criscione

Nearly 30 years ago, Bellona founder “This new craft is a different beast,” says “This is a big and important leap forward
Frederic Hauge made history buying the Rolf Sandvik, The Fjords chief executive. in the ongoing maritime battery revolution,
country’s fi rst electric car, a converted Fiat. “Vision of the Fjords switches from with The Fjords now taking us one step
The Norwegian environmentalist followed diesel to electric power when entering closer to an emission-free transport
up by importing the fi rst Tesla Roadster in the UNESCO World Heritage Listed sector,” says Petter Hersleth, Enova
2009 into Norway and the fi rst Tesla Model Nærøyfjord. It represents an important marketing manager. “We believe that
S in Europe in 2013. step forward on our journey to transform Future of the Fjords will help inspire the
tourism in this delicate natural wonderland. travel industry to adopt battery-powered
His purchases were part of an important This new ship is, quite simply, our dream vessels faster, both here in Norway and
step towards electrifying Norwegian come true.“ abroad.”
society. The Norwegian maritime industry
is hoping to do the same with sea travel The Future of the Fjord marks the fi rst World’s Largest Hybrid Craft
tourism. It pioneered the green shipping of its kind and is a milestone in the The trend towards greener ship tourism
wave with the debut of the electric car and Norwegian research initiative Pilot-E is already being seen among the larger
passenger ferry Ampere in 2014-- dubbed launched last year with Innovation Norwegian cruise ship operators, such
by some as the “Tesla of the Sea” -- and Norway, Enova, and the Research as Color Line. Norwegian shipyard
has launched a wave of new hybrid and Council of Norway. Pilot-E started as Ulstein is currently building the world’s
fully electric ferry concepts. a NOK 70 million fund for fast-track largest hybrid ferry ship Color Hybrid
environmentally friendly projects within for delivery in 2019. Designed by Fosen
“The speed of the electric revolution at sea maritime transport. Future of the Fjord Yard, the 30,000 gross ton hybrid
will be very fast,” says Hauge, aboard the was part of the fi rst fi ve selected projects, plug-in ferry will be able to shuttle up
hybrid sightseeing ferry Vision of the Fjord receiving NOK 17.8 million from the to 2,000 passengers from Sandefjord,
while docked in Oslo last June for the Nor Norwegian organization Enova towards Norway across the Skagerrak strait to
Shipping Conference, “Sailing is believing.” its total NOK 144 million project cost. Strömstad, Sweden.

Future of the Fjord
Hauge made the statement in connection
with Norwegian shipyard Brødrene Aa’s
announcement to build a fully electric
vessel, Future of the Fjord, for the fl eet
operator, The Fjords. Set for sail in April
2018, it will be a fully electric composite
vessel, taking The Fjord’s sister vessel
Vision of the Fjord one step further. The
42-metre long carbon fi ber ferry will
feature the same panoramic views along
its winding mountain trail deck as its
predecessor, but this time be fully electric
and emission free.

The 2,000-passenger ferry Color Hybrid will be
the world’s largest hybrid craft in 2020.
© Color Line

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