Norwegian shipping company Torghatten Nord acquires the electric ferry Misterøy
The Norwegian shipping company Torghatten Nord in Tromsø has taken delivery of its new electric ferry named Misterøy. This nearly 77-meter long Ro-Pax vessel was built at a Turkish shipyard and can carry up to 60 cars and 195 passengers. Two sister ships are planned to follow.
Image: Torghatten
The electric ship was built by the Turkish shipyard Özata. This nearly 77-meter-long Ro-Pax vessel (short for Roll-on/Roll-off for vehicles and Pax for passengers) is intended to operate on the route between Festvåg and Misten north of the city of Bodø in Nordland province. The electric ferry is the first of three identical ships that Özata is building for the Norwegian operator. The sister ships Fløytind and Møysalen will follow at a later date.
The Misterøy was designed by the Norwegian Ship Design Company and is named after an island in Norway’s Mistfjord. It can accommodate up to 60 cars and 195 passengers. The shipping line uses this ship, named after Misterøy, on the ferry service across Mistfjord, which is part of the road connection between Bodø and the Kjerringøy Peninsula.
1,960 kWh battery plus diesel as a backup
The ship is equipped with two independent propulsion and power systems at the bow and stern, each using an electric SRE propulsion system from the German manufacturer Schottel. The system integration for the Misterøy and its sister ship Fløytind is handled by the Norwegian company SEAM. The delivery includes, in addition to the battery system, the power and automation control systems, switchgear and transformers, as well as the bridge and navigation equipment.
The Misterøy is equipped with a battery system from Akasol to power its propulsion, boasting a total capacity of 1,960 kWh. According to Torghatten Nord, the system can be expanded if needed. In addition, it has two diesel generators of the Volvo Penta D16 type aboard. Thus, the propulsion system can operate purely electrically, in hybrid mode with the support of one or both generators, or diesel-electrically.
The appropriate charging infrastructure in Festvåg is intended to support pure electric operation on the route. Automated charging towers from the company Zinus will be used there. The combination of battery storage and additional generator capacity allows the shipping line to rely on alternative operation modes when necessary.
Three new electric ferries for the Norwegian coast
The Misterøy is part of a broader modernization of Torghatten Nord’s fleet. The company won the 10-year operating contract for the Festvåg–Misten route in May 2024. The contract took effect on January 1, 2025. The new electric ferry was originally scheduled to be gradually introduced on this route starting in 2027.
All three ships in this series are being built by Özata in Turkey. The third vessel, Møysalen, is planned to be delivered in August 2028. For the Turkish shipyard, this order represents the first new construction project for a North European ferry operator.
Problems with Hydrogen Ferries
In 2023, Torghatten Nord also ordered two hydrogen-powered ferries that were originally scheduled to go into operation in 2025. However, there are significant delays with this project. As a result, the H2 ferries are likely to become operational no earlier than 2027. Additionally, it currently appears that the first of the two ferries will operate on biofuel initially, until the hydrogen production facility for the ferries is put into use.