VESSEL REVIEW | Medstraum – Electric catamaran ferry for Norway’s Kolumbus

Norwegian shipyard Fjellstrand has completed construction of a new fully electric fast catamaran ferry to be operated locally.

The 31-metre-long vessel has been aptly named Medstraum after the Norwegian phrase "med straum," which translates into "with electricity." It will be operated by the Transport Advanced and Modular (TrAM) Project, a European Union-funded initiative begun by Norwegian technology company Maritime CleanTech and being coordinated by Kolumbus, the independent mobility services arm of Rogaland County Council. Although operation of Medstraum will be undertaken by the TrAM Project, Kolumbus will remain as the ferry's owner.

The DNV-classed Medstraum is operated by three crewmembers and can transport 147 passengers at a service speed of 23 knots and a maximum speed of 27 knots. A 1,524kWh battery pack supplies power to two 550kW electric motors as well as the onboard electronics, which also include two radars supplied by Furuno.

The power stored in the batteries is sourced from the local grid and supplied to the vessel via shore connection. Charging of the batteries can be completed multiple times in one day. The ferry can sail at 23 knots for up to one hour on a single full charge.

The ferry itself is of lightweight construction to ensure greater operating efficiency. Project partners at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland and the Ship Design Lab of the National Technical University of Athens contributed in calculating the weight efficiency ratio and hull design. Even the batteries, converters, motors, and other essential electrical components also feature lightweight materials to help reduce the vessel's overall displacement.

The TrAM Project partners claimed Medstraum is the world's first fully electric and zero-emission fast ferry classed in accordance with the International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft (HSC Code). Mikal Dahle, project manager at Kolumbus, added that the operation of the new ferry will help reduce emissions by up to 1,500 tonnes per year.

As the TrAM Project's demonstrator vessel, Medstraum has already commenced a trial commuter service between the city of Stavanger and nearby islands and communities in Rogaland County in south-western Norway to test and validate the project findings. Though the route between Stavanger and Hommersak is fixed, there are 12 potential stops along the way depending on whether any passengers are waiting, so the actual route can vary considerably.