Норвезький оператор Torghatten Nord отримав електричний пором Misterøy
Norwegian shipping company Torghatten Nord from Tromsø has taken delivery of its new electric ferry named Misterøy. The nearly 77-meter-long Ro-Pax vessel was built at a Turkish shipyard and can transport up to 60 cars and 195 passengers. Two sister ships are set to follow.
Image: Torghatten
The new electric ferry, built by Turkey’s Özata Shipyard, is an approximately 77-metre-long Ro-Pax vessel (a term combining Roll On/Roll Off for vehicles and Pax for passengers) set to operate on the route between Festvåg and Misten, north of the city of Bodø in the Nordland region. The vessel is the first of three identical electric ferries that Özata is constructing for the Norwegian operator, with sister ships Fløytind and Møysalen to 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 and fittingly operates on the Mistfjord crossing, which forms part of the road connection between Bodø and the Kjerringøy peninsula. Onboard, there is room for 60 cars and 195 passengers.
1,960 kWh battery plus diesel as backup
The vessel features two independent propulsion and energy systems at the bow and stern, each utilising an electric SRE propulsion system from German manufacturer Schottel. The system integration for the Misterøy and its sister ship Fløytind is being handled by Norwegian company SEAM. The scope of supply includes the battery system, as well as energy and automation control, switchgear, transformers, and bridge and navigation technology.
For propulsion power, the Misterøy is equipped with a battery system from Akasol with a total capacity of 1,960 kWh. According to Torghatten Nord, the system can be expanded if needed. The ferry also carries two Volvo Penta D16 diesel generators. The propulsion system can therefore operate in fully battery-electric mode, hybrid mode with support from one or both generators, or diesel-electric mode.
For the intended fully electric operation on the route, the corresponding charging infrastructure in Festvåg will ensure sufficient power with automated charging towers from Zinus. The combination of battery storage and additional generator capacity also allows the operator to switch to alternative operating modes if required.
Three new electric ferries for the Norwegian coast
The Misterøy is part of a broader modernisation of Torghatten Nord’s fleet. The company secured the ten-year operating contract for the Festvåg–Misten route in May 2024. The contract has been in effect since 1 January 2025. The new electric ferry was originally scheduled to be gradually introduced on the route starting in 2027.
All three vessels in the series are being built by Özata in Turkey. The third unit, Møysalen, is currently scheduled for delivery in August 2028. For the Turkish shipyard, this order represents its first newbuild project for a North European ferry operator.
Issues with hydrogen for ferries
As early as 2023, Torghatten Nord also ordered two hydrogen-powered ferries, which were originally scheduled to enter service in 2025. The project has faced significant delays, and the H2 ferries are now unlikely to begin operations before 2027. It currently appears that the first of the two ferries will initially run on biofuel until the hydrogen production facility for the ferries is commissioned.