Fjellstrand: fully electric fast ferry
Published 2 January 2023; updated 30 September 2026; estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Product: Medstraum, described as the first fully battery-electric fast ferry.
Operating profile: passenger service between Stavanger and nearby communities and islands; designed for speeds above the fast-ferry threshold of 21.6 knots, with a reported maximum of 27 knots.
Vessel design: aluminium construction to reduce weight, with hull and propulsion efficiency measures; electricity from the grid is the stated power source.
Emissions: the page reports an annual reduction of 1,500 metric tonnes of CO₂ compared with the replaced diesel fast ferry. The page also describes reductions in local air and noise pollution.
Safety: the vessel is reported to meet the International Code of Safety for High-Speed Crafts (HSC Code).
Recognition: Medstraum received the 2022 Ship of the Year award.
Company background and services: Fjellstrand was established in 1928 and offers newbuilds, vessel conversion, battery installations for hybrid vessels, maintenance and shipyard services. The page also mentions Ampere, delivered in 2015 and described there as the world’s first battery-operated car ferry.
Listed industries: maritime, battery and energy.
Company contact on page: Edmund Tolo, R&D / Sales Manager; etolo@fjellstrand.no. Company address shown: Omavegen 225, 5632 Omastrand, Norway.
Public phone number revealed by the page control on 8 October 2026: +47 951 52 267.
Additional captured detail 1
Published 2 January 2023; updated 30 September 2026; 3-minute read. Fjellstrand builds battery-electric passenger fast ferries. The article defines fast ferries as operating at 21.6 knots or more and describes MS Medstraum as the first fully battery-electric fast ferry, serving Stavanger and nearby communities/islands. Its aluminium construction, lightweight hull and optimised propulsion let it reach up to 27 knots. Medstraum received the 2022 Ship of the Year award at the SMM trade fair.
The company says Medstraum reduces CO₂ emissions by 1,500 tonnes per year versus the existing diesel ferry. The vessel meets the International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft; the batteries are positioned to comply with newer safety rules. The page says battery propulsion reduces weight, power use and maintenance compared with conventional fast ferries, and can reduce coastal-city air/noise pollution and congestion when integrated into public transport.
Fjellstrand cites its 2015 delivery of Ampere, described as the first battery-operated car ferry, and the EU-funded Horizon 2020 TrAM project as contributors to Medstraum’s development. The company offers new builds, conversions, battery installations for hybrid vessels, maintenance and shipyard services, and was founded in 1928.
Availability: available. Categories: maritime / yards and construction; battery / application; energy. Linked UN SDGs: 9 and 11. Public contact: Edmund Tolo, R&D / Sales Manager, etolo@fjellstrand.no. Company: FJELLSTRAND AS, Omavegen 225, 5632 Omastrand, Norway; fjellstrand.no. Related page: Fjellstrand electric offshore-wind service vessels (linked on page). No event listings or participation fees are displayed.
Public phone number revealed by the page control on 8 October 2026: +47 951 52 267.