Carbon fiber tourist vessel named Ship of the Year

SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 — A futuristically-styled 40 m long carbon fiber tourist vessel has won the 2016 Ship of the Year accolade awarded by Norwegian publication Skipsrevyen.

Designed with lines that resemble the zigzagging mountain paths of the Western Norwegian fjords, the 399 passenger Vision of The Fjords, operated by The Fjords DA and built by the Brødrene Aa shipyard in Hyen, Norway, won the award for its unique approach to sustainable, sensitive and high quality operations in the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Nærøyfjord.

The judges were won over by Brødrene Aa’s bold design and by the vessel’s high-tech features, such as its innovative propulsion system. This is based on a combination of two 749 kW MAN main engines and two 150kW Oswald electric motors, with ABB’s On-board DC Grid system managing and controlling the power between the diesel engines, propeller and charging station.

The configuration is capable of delivering a speed of 19.5 knots, slowing down to a leisurely 8 knots to allow passengers to immerse themselves in the beauty that surrounds them.

“We, and our owners Fjord1 and Flåm AS, are absolutely committed to a long-term strategy that safeguards the spellbinding nature of Nærøyfjord and its surrounding waterways,” says The Fjords CEO Rolf A. Sandvik. “At the same time we want our passengers to feel as connected to that habitat as possible – experiencing something on Vision of the Fjords that is not possible on any other vessel here.

“With that in mind we opted for a dual fuel solution whereby we run diesel engines up to the entrance of the protected Nærøyfjord, before switching to silent running, emission free electric power. We also challenged the yard to create a special hull designed to minimize wake and thus reduce impact erosion on the vulnerable shoreline here.”

Vision of The Fjords looks, and operates, like nothing else on the water. it traverses, it allows passengers to climb over the vessel as they watch local mountains rise from the water. Those who prefer to view the outside from inside can enjoy the views from lounges wrapped by sweeping panoramic windows.

Vision of the Fjords
Length: 40 m
Width: 15 m
Materials: Carbon fiber sandwich
Seats: 399
Class: DNV light craft
Main engine: 2x 749 kW
El-motor: 2 x150k W
Propeller: CPP propeller
Battery pack: 600 kWh