Wärtsilä to electrify Danish catamaran ferry

Technology group Wärtsilä will supply a fully integrated electric propulsion system with waterjets for a new high-speed catamaran ferry being built for Danish ferry operator Molslinjen. It is the third in a series of battery-electric vessels being built at the Incat shipyard in Tasmania.

Wärtsilä will electrify a Molslinjen’s new high-speed catamaran ferry. (Photo: Wärtsilä)

The three ferries will each measure 129 meters in length and 30.5 meters in width, accommodating up to 1,483 passengers and 500 cars. The vessels will serve the Kattegat route and are expected to join the fleet in Denmark during 2027 and 2028. Wärtsilä solutions will drive all three ships.

Wärtsilä’s scope of supply includes the integrated electric propulsion system, which uses electric motors to drive the propeller(s) with power from generator-sets, batteries or a hybrid energy mix. The company will also supply the DC power conversion system, energy management and automation systems, eight electric propulsion motors and electric-driven waterjets, as well as the ProTouch propulsion control system.

“Our commitment is to have fully sustainable ferry operations,” said Kristian Durhuus, CEO, Molslinjen. “Wärtsilä’s electrification technology will enable us to make harmful smoke emissions a thing of the past, and we had no hesitation in opting for their solutions again for this third ferry.”

Roger Holm, president of Wärtsilä Marine & Executive Vice President at Wärtsilä Corporation, stated: “This series of battery-electric ships highlights the ferry industry’s focus towards decarbonized operations. Wärtsilä is similarly committed to supporting the decarbonization of shipping, and our technology reflects our emphasis on sustainability, innovation and performance.”

Wärtsilä equipment for the third vessel is scheduled for delivery to the yard in 2027.