Havyard Leirvik to Convert Ferry from Diesels to Batteries

Havyard said its shipyard in Leirvik won a contract with Fjord1 for modification of the car ferry MF Lote, a ferry that will operate the route Skarberget–Bognes over the Tysfjord in Nordland county.

The conversion contract is seen as strategically important by the shipyard, particularly as it nears completion of a large-scale newbuild program and shifts its focus towards the modification and repair market. In recent years, the yard has been working on building and delivering ferries, wellboats and SOV vessels. The two last vessels in the newbuild series are scheduled for delivery in late September and early November, respectively.

MF Lote will undergo major modification involving conversion from diesel engines to battery-run propulsion. Norwegian Electrical System AS (Hav Group) will deliver the system, and the project is due to start in November 2021. The vessel currently has four propulsion thrusters run by four diesel engines. They will now be replaced by electric engines powered by a large battery system. The same technology is used in several other ferries that are currently in operation, according to Svein Olav Senneset, Acting Manager in new construction at Fjord1.