Ships of the future: Norwegian electric catamaran 150x more powerful than SeaZen
Ship of the future: discover Norway’s 100% electric catamaran
A 300 kW all-electric ferry in the Norwegian fjords in 2018
The 42-meter catamaran will be able to carry 400 passengers at a speed of 16 knots thanks to two 300kW electric motors, The Fjords company announced.
© The Fjords
A ferry with totally electric propulsion is set to sail Norway’s famous fjords from April 2018, its owner announced on Thursday. The “Future of the Fjords” will be the world’s first electric vessel totally devoid of combustion engines, boasted the environmental NGO Bellona.
The 42-meter catamaran will be able to carry 400 passengers at a speed of 16 knots thanks to two 300kW electric motors, announced The Fjords, its future owner, at Nor-Shipping, a maritime industry trade fair near Oslo. Already under construction at a Norwegian yard, it will be commissioned between two fjords, including the Naerøyfjord, a Unesco World Heritage Site. Despite being a major oil producer, Norway is leading the way in the electrification of transport. It is the world leader in electric cars by number of vehicles sold per capita, and is also set to launch the world’s first 100% electric, autonomous coaster next year.
On Thursday, the Norwegian Shipowners’ Federation unveiled new targets to contribute to the success of the Paris Agreement aimed at containing global warming: CO2 emissions from the Norwegian fleet will have to be halved by 2050 and be zero by 2100, the Federation said. The Scandinavian country with its strong maritime traditions has already had an electrically-powered ferry, the Ampere, with a capacity of 350 passengers and 120 cars, since early 2015. However, unlike the “Future of the Fjords”, Bellona points out that the Ampere has a conventional emergency engine.
Maritime transport “is a sector where significant fuel savings can be achieved through electrification both with hybrid solutions but also with all-electric like the +Future of the Fjords+”, the NGO’s president, Frederic Hauge, told AFP. “It’s clear that the cost of batteries is coming down. It’s a bit expensive today, but it’s coming down,” he stressed.
The Fjords already operates a near-twin vessel, the “Vision of the Fjords”, with similar lines but hybrid propulsion (electric-diesel), voted Ship of the Year 2016 at the Hamburg International Maritime Show.
The seaZen solar boat and its 2 kW in total autonomy for a year
Since June 2016, an SSR16 operated by SeaZen has been sailing silently and odorlessly between Nice and Monaco. Its sea rides are delighting a new audience in search of Zen, elegant and environmentally-friendly activities. With just 2 kW of engine power, it can carry 8 passengers at 5 knots. Compared with the Norwegian Ferry, this means 150 times more power is needed to carry only 50 times as many passengers. There’s no doubt that the Côte d’Azur is the cradle of the world’s solar-powered yachts!
Even out of season, boat rental without a license in Nice is an activity that lets you enjoy dreamy anchorages while being alone on the waves… a bit like a Norwegian Fjord but much warmer! For those who prefer to sail frequently between Nice or Monaco, seaZen has created a Boat Club without a license departing from Beaulieu.
If you’re not on the Côte d’Azur, visit our site to discover our videos, photos and articles on solar boating and also on the Côte d’Azur.
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