Kongsberg Maritime has been contracted to upgrade the double-ended car ferry MF Hamlet, operated by Öresundlinjen on the Helsingør, Denmark, to Helsingborg, Sweden route, to battery-powered operation, according to the company's release.
The project involves installing large battery packs and new permanent magnet motors for the ferry’s four azimuth thrusters, each rated at 1530 kW, aiming for zero-emission, fully electric operation with mechanical propulsion redundancy. The ferry will use high-voltage charging in port, taking 8-12 minutes, with low-voltage genset charging as a backup.
Kongsberg Maritime’s scope includes converting existing thrusters to electric operation, supplying energy, automation, and control systems, retrofitting the K-Chief 600 to the new K-Chief system with an Energy Management System, and installing Mcon thruster control with control chairs on both bridges.
Echandia will provide energy storage systems, Oresund Drydocks will handle mechanical conversion starting November 2025, and SH-Group will manage deck house production and cabling.
Preparatory work is scheduled for March 2025 during maintenance docking, with full conversion following the summer season. The ferry will feature twin-input thrusters powered primarily by electric motors, with diesel engines as backup, and will charge via 10.6 MW/10.4 kV shoreside robots.
Kongsberg Maritime is a Norwegian technology company founded in 1814, it specializes in maritime systems, employing over 7,000 people and serving global shipping and offshore industries.
Öresundlinjen (Molslinjen) is a Danish ferry operator established in 1967 as Molslinjen, it runs passenger and vehicle services, including the Helsingør-Helsingborg route, with a fleet of over 20 vessels.
Echandia is a Swedish firm founded in 2013, it develops heavy-duty battery systems for maritime and industrial applications, focusing on electrification solutions.
Oresund Drydocks is a Swedish shipyard based in Landskrona since 2001, it provides repair, maintenance, and conversion services for vessels up to 200 meters.
SH-Group is a Danish engineering company founded in 1982, it offers installation and system integration services for maritime and industrial projects worldwide.