Torghatten Nord has chosen the Norwegian shipyard Myklebust Verft to build two hydrogen ferries, which will transport up to 120 cars on Norway's longest ferry route between Bodø and Lofoten. The ferries will be the world's largest hydrogen-powered ships and will be refueled with hydrogen produced in Bodø.

“At Myklebust, we found an environment with high expertise at a sustainable price. I am proud that we are achieving this in Norway because this is a significant boost for the Norwegian technology and shipyard industry. Together with the authorities, we are setting the standard for a completely new class of ships, with a world-class innovation and climate project,” says Marius Hansen, CEO of Torghatten Nord.

Myklebust Verft is located in Gursken, south of Ålesund. The contract for building the 117-meter-long ferries means increased staffing and high activity at the shipyard in the foreseeable future.

“We are very pleased to have reached an agreement to build the world's largest hydrogen ship, in close cooperation with the shipping company. Together with the maritime cluster in Norway, we will develop new knowledge, secure jobs, and be able to take in more apprentices with this assignment. It will be exciting to deliver something no one has done before us,” says Leiv Sindre Muren, CEO of Myklebust Verft.

The Minister of Transport is pleased that the contract to build the hydrogen ferries goes to a Norwegian shipyard.

“I congratulate Torghatten Nord and Myklebust Verft on an important agreement for the Norwegian maritime industry. The government is committed to sustainability, good wages and working conditions, the use of apprentices, innovation, and local spin-offs in our contracts. The agreement shows that Norwegian shipyards are competitive, and it will contribute to building more expertise in zero-emission solutions,” says Minister of Transport John-Ivar Nygård.

Passenger traffic with hydrogen over such a long and demanding route has not been performed anywhere else in the world. The design and technical solutions will ensure all safety aspects for ferries operating in exposed waters.

“There are no other maritime hydrogen projects internationally that come close to the scale and ambitions of this project. We have therefore prioritized spending some time building a team of Norwegian suppliers with the goal of transporting local residents, businesses, and tourists in a safe, efficient, and comfortable manner. It involves design, safety systems, hydrogen production, and now the construction of the vessels. It has been particularly challenging to put this in place in a market marked by war and uncertainty in Europe,” says Hansen of Torghatten Nord.

The ferries will be delivered from Myklebust Verft during 2026. The suppliers of design, technology, equipment, and hydrogen in the project are Norwegian, and the project also has close collaboration with the Norwegian Maritime Authority and the classification society Lloyd’s Register to develop procedures and safety standards for a completely new type of ferries.

“When we build two large ships packed with new technology, it is desirable that the project is thoroughly worked out before the contract with the shipyard is signed. Now we have laid a good foundation for success with the ambitions of the project,” says Hansen.