Fiskerstrand BLRT, the joint company of the BLRT Group and Fiskerstrand Verft, have signed a deal with Norwegian company Fjord1 which will result in the construction of the biggest gas-powered passenger ferry the world has ever seen. The value of the contract between the companies is approximately 800 million Estonian kroons. The ferry is due for completion by the end of 2011 and will operate in Norway. Fjord1 organised an international tender to find a company capable of constructing the vessel.

The ferry is 129.9 metres long and 19.2 metres across. It will take up to 242 cars and/or trucks in combination with passenger vehicles and accommodate up to 600 passengers, including crew.

“After the unprecedented decline in ship construction the market is finally showing signs of improvement, thanks to stabilisation in the finance sector,” explained Fjodor Berman, chairman of the management board of the BLRT Group. “That said, the improvement we’re seeing is fairly small-scale, and demand on the ship-building market is likely to remain below production capacity for the next couple of years. And having said that, demand for environmentally-friendly and fuel-efficient vessels is rising rapidly. This new ferry will reduce NOX emissions by almost 90%.” Berman added that flexibility and keeping a careful eye on market trends have helped BLRT remain competitive and win a number of tenders, including this latest one.

The client, Fjord1, transported more than two million cars and good vehicles in 2009. Growing service volumes and the desire to boost service quality and provide more regular services were the factors behind the company ordering the new vessel. The ferry will be put into service on the Arsvågen-Mortavik route in Bokna Fjord in Norway, which is one of the three busiest routes of its kind in the country.

Fjord1 is one of Norway’s biggest transport companies. Its main areas of operation are the organisation of transport using passenger ferries and buses, tourism and goods transport. The company employs 2200 workers and currently operates 63 ferries.

Fiskerstrand BLRT is a ship-building company registered in Norway. It is jointly owned by BLRT and the Norwegian company Fiskerstrand Verft, who have been working together since 2000. The new ferries of the Saaremaa Shipping Company have also been constructed by the joint company.