Norwegian duo will power ferries on Norway's Vestfjorden route with green hydrogen

Torghatten Nord, the ferry operating arm of Norway-based Torghatten Group, has signed a green hydrogen offtake agreement with GreenH.

PHOTO: A prototype green hydrogen-powered vessel has been designed by Norwegian Ship Design for Torghatten Nord. Norwegian Ship Design

Torghatten Nord will build two new hydrogen vessels and convert two of its existing LNG ferries to run on hydrogen by October 2025.

Meanwhile, hydrogen producer GreenH will construct a hydrogen production plant in Langstranda in Narvik district. The plant will be capable of producing green hydrogen up to 6-10 mt/day - around 2,190-3,650 mt/year. 

GreenH's Langstranda plant will start supplying Torghatten Nord's vessels with green hydrogen from 2025. However, the company has not disclosed the offtake volumes.

The ferries will operate along the Bodø–Moskenes–Værøy–Røst route in Vestfjorden, which is considered to be the "longest and most weather-exposed ferry route in Norway", said Torghatten Nord's managing director Torkild Torkildsen.

Vestfjorden is a 155-km long fjord off the northwestern coast of Norway.

The Norwegian Public Roads Administration estimates that hydrogen ferries will reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 26,500 mt/year.

“The project will also be very important globally, when the maritime transport sector will switch to net-zero emissions,” said Carl Sjolund, a partner at EQT Infrastructure, which is one of the investors in the project.

Moreover, the project will provide shipyards and equipment companies with significant opportunities to develop expertise in hydrogen as a marine fuel, Torkildsen added.

By Konica Bhatt

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