Medstraum, the world’s first fully electric high-speed ferry, is gearing up for operations in Norway says Auto Evolution.
- The vessel is expected to start carrying passengers between Stavanger and Homersåk for the public transport company Kolumbus.
- The TrAM project has moved quite fast with the development of the ferry.
Technique
Construction was started almost a year back at the Fjellstrand shipyard. Innovative Modular Manufacturing was used in the shipyard as a building technique. This implied that ships could be manufactured by assembling completed modules. This can in turn be created in various locations. This will not only save time during the construction phases, but it will also be cost-effective. Additionally, it will allow shipyards to bring a vessel to market more rapidly – just like TrAM’s new vessel.
Carbon Footprint
Compared to traditional ferries that run on fossil fuel, Medstraum will significantly improve the carbon footprint of Kolumbus. Currently, the public transport company has ten fast ferries, a few conventional ferries, and 450 buses in operation. “Medstraum will cut our emissions by 1500 tonnes a year, despite operating on our least energy-demanding route. That’s the equivalent of 60 buses,” said Project Manager at Kolumbus, Mikal Dahle.
Capacity
The fully-electric ferry was recently welcomed at its new home port located in the city of Stavanger. Medstraum is expected to carry up to 150 passengers between Stavanger, Byøyene, and Hommersåk for Kolumbus from late summer. The vessel measures 30 meters (98.4 ft) in length and is nine-meter-wide (29.5-ft-wide). The ferry will be equipped with two 550 kW electric motors and a 1524 kWh battery. Classed as a high-speed watercraft, it will be able to reach impressive speeds of 27 knots (31 mph/ 50 kph). Medstraum will cruise during operation at 23 knots (26.4 mph/ 42.5 kph).
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Source: Auto evolution
