Sembmarine bags battery powered ferry newbuilds contract from Norled

The 300-passenger, 80 car capacity ferries will be designed by Sembmarine subsidiary LMG Marin and built by the yard group for delivery to Norled in Q4 2020.

The plug-in ferries will be designed to operate on zero emissions battery power at a speed of 10 knots, with a hybrid battery/diesel mode as back-up. The vessels will use lithium-ion batteries.

Sembcorp Marine’s project with Norled marks our entry into the ro-pax ferry design and construction segment,” said Sembmarine’s Head of Specialised Shipbuilding Tan Heng Jack said. “It also demonstrates our ambition to be a leading provider of renewable energy-driven solutions.

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Norled Chief Technology Officer said Sigvald Breivik said, “Ship design, passenger comfort and working conditions for personnel were key considerations when we awarded the project to Sembcorp Marine.

“We were particularly happy to share with this partner a common understanding of Norled’s ambition to build innovative new vessels equipped with zero-emissions technology, as part of our focus on reducing emissions.”

Norled launched the world’s first battery-powered ferry Ampere in 2015.

Combined with an agreement with Ørsted Wind Power subsidiary Optimus Wind Limited for engineering, procurement, construction, hook-up and commissioning works on two topsides, to be deployed at the Hornsea 2 Offshore Wind Farm in the UK North Sea, the projects are worth SGD200m.

The two topsides are due for delivery in Q1 2021.