In early November 2018 Erna Solberg, the Prime Minister of Norway, was announced as the godmother of The Fjords’ award winning all-electric passenger vessel Future of The Fjords. The environmentally friendly 400-passenger ship will be christened at Gudvangen, situated in the UNESCO World Heritage listed Nærøyfjord, on 17 November 2018.
Future of The Fjords is the world’s first electric carbon fibre catamaran and the winner of Skipsrevyen’s Ship of the Year title at SMM this year. Her zero emission, silent running operations and accessible decks, where passengers of any mobility can literally climb up the ship, provide a unique platform to enjoy Western Norway’s fjords, while also safeguarding the fragile environment for future generations.
As such its green credentials fit perfectly with Mrs Solberg’s drive to create more sustainable maritime activity, as Rolf A .Sandvik, CEO of The Fjords explains:
“Erna Solberg is a champion of sustainable development, particularly with regard to maritime and ocean activity, as demonstrated by her instigation of an international High-level Panel on Building a Sustainable Ocean Economy earlier this year. Future of The Fjords is a trailblazer for responsible marine operations, with optimal energy efficiency, zero emissions to air and, thanks to its PowerDock charging solution, which also stores waste water, zero emissions to water.
“As such the ship encapsulates the move towards green transport and shows what is possible with the right investment, dedication and desire to serve and protect local communities. It is the ideal vessel for Mrs Solberg to support and she is the perfect godmother. We’re thrilled that she will officially name Future of The Fjords and help encourage our industry to steer a new, more sustainable course into the future.”
Future of the Fjords was launched in May and will make around 700 round-trip voyages a year, silently sailing between its home ports of Flåm and Gudvangen. She is the only vessel to sail the route year round, allowing passengers from around the world to experience the changing seasonal landscapes, lights and sensations of the unique fjord area.
Her sistership, the plug-in hybrid Vision of the Fjords, also serves the Flåm-Gudvangen route in the summer months, moving to Oslo from November to April starting in 2018. Vision of the Fjords preceded her sister as Ship of the Year winner, receiving the honour in 2016.
In recognition of the two vessels’ environmental performance, innovation and accessibility, the design received the Norwegian Centre for Design and Architecture (DOGA) Universal Design ‘Transport’ award 2017, as well as the overall 2017 DOGA Innovation prize.
The Fjords is jointly owned by local tourism agency Flåm AS and Fjord1 ASA, Norway’s leading ferry operator. Future of The Fjords was constructed at Norway’s Brødrene Aa shipyard with financial support from state run low emission solutions organisation Enova.
Future of The Fjords
Length: 42 m
Width: 15 m
Materials: Carbon fibre sandwich
Seats: 400
Class: DNV GL light craft
El-motor: 2 x450kW
Propeller: CPP propeller
Battery pack: 1800 kWh
