World’s first fully electric ferry celebrates 10 years of success

The world`s first all-electric ferry MF Ampere has now sailed for 10 years on clean energy, saving one million litres of diesel and 5,700 tons of CO2 every year.

Since going into service in 2015, the MF Ampere has now sailed an astonishing distance equivalent to 17 times around the equator on batteries alone, solidifying its place as a groundbreaking achievement in sustainable maritime transport.

A decade on and the Ampere continues to showcase the transformative potential of electric technology. Many people initially doomed the project, but despite this, the vessel has successfully demonstrated a model that has now been adopted in hundreds of ferries across the globe.

Bold decision results in game-changing advancements

Norway has earned an undisputed reputation as the innovative leader in green shipping due to the electrification of its ferry fleet from north to south. It all started with the Ampere and a bold decision by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration to require sustainable technology onboard the newbuild destined to transport passengers and vehicles across the Sognefjord on Norway’s west coast. Ferry operator Norled began exploring electric alternatives and initiated a collaboration with Fjellstrand Shipyard to find the best solution. Norled went on to win the ferry tender based on the cutting-edge design of the Ampere.

“When Fjellstrand Shipyard first started looking at electric ferries back in 2010, we knew that a fully electric ferry would be a challenge on this route due to the distance and power demands. However, when the tender came out, and Norled wanted to make this ferry all-electric, we revisited the idea and found solutions that we thought could work. By leveraging existing, proven vessel designs from previous projects and using our expertise in lightweight and optimized energy designs, we managed to create a vessel that is not only efficient but also fully aligned with the future of sustainable transport,” said Edmund Tolo, R&D and Sales Manager at Fjellstrand.

He added: “We faced a series of challenges, as nobody had done this previously. We had no idea about the actual lifetime of the batteries, and we did not have the needed rules and regulations. However, by collaborating closely with Siemens as integrator, battery supplier Corvus Energy, the shipowner Norled, as well as the Norwegian Maritime Authorities and DNV, we managed to make this a success.”