VESSEL REVIEW | Fredrikke Tønder-Olsen – Fast catamaran shuttle enters service with Nordland Fylkeskommune

Norwegian vessel operator Nordland Fylkeskommune (NFK) has taken delivery of a new fast catamaran ferry from local builder Brødrene Aa. The vessel has been named Fredrikke Tønder-Olsen after an entrepreneur, magazine publisher, and fishing boat captain who was also Norway's first female insurance agent.

The vessel has a length of 44.2 metres, a beam of 10.8 metres, and capacity for 193 passengers and 16 cargo pallets. It is a near identical sister of Regine Normann and Elsa Laula Renberg, two earlier ferries that Brødrene Aa had built for the same operator, but with enhanced manoeuvrability and the ability to better withstand rough sea conditions, typically wave heights of four metres that are common along the coast of Helgeland district in northern Norway.

A quartet of MTU 10V2000 M72 diesel engines drive four Kongsberg KaMeWa S56-4 waterjets via ZF 3000 gearboxes to propel the ferry to a service speed of 32 knots. An active ride control system keeps the vessel as level and as stable as possible during high-speed sailings while a selective catalytic reduction system lowers engine NOx emissions. The efficient hull form and the lightweight carbon-fibre construction guarantee a fuel consumption level that is 30 per cent lower than those of other ferries in the NFK fleet.

A monitoring system enables the bridge crew to conduct real-time assessments of hull load and acceleration at any time throughout each voyage. Among other things, this will issue alerts to the crew if there is a need to adjust the vessel's speed to prevent the load on the hull and the engines from exceeding maximum allowable limits.

The ferry also comes equipped with four Sleipner SH400 bow thrusters to provide the operator with better control during berthing and unberthing.

Reclining passenger seats provided by West Mekan Produksjon are available on two decks with access between the decks made possible by a stairway and a Heisplan lift to be used primarily by wheelchair-bound individuals. The upper deck even features a separate four-seat cabin that is specifically for use by passengers who are traveling with pets.

The interior layout, which also includes USB charging ports, was designed by Ortnevik Tre while the floor covering was supplied by Fjord Design. The interior spaces benefit from ventilation systems from TTC Norway, Hellanor, and Armatec while the toilets were provided by Jets.

Loading and unloading of passengers is done via two hydraulic gangways. To load and unload cargo, the ferry relies on a pair of Palfinger Marine PK6500 deck cranes. Also on deck is a Survitec man overboard rescue boat, which is to be launched into the water via davits.

Two Stamford generators that each produce 62 ekW supply power for the onboard systems. A firefighting system from Nortronik has been incorporated as well.

Fredrikke Tønder-Olsen was delivered in February of this year and has since been used to operate a shuttle service between the municipalities of Alstahaug, Lurøy, and Træna.

Click here for the other news, features and reviews comprising this month's Passenger Vessel Week.