On a global scale, small passenger-only commuter and tourist ferries outnumber all other ferry types and have extremely long service lives, with 30, 40 and even 50-year lifespans not unusual. Most are powered by medium or high-speed engines with a relatively low power output. Routes tend to be very short, although in archipelagos a vessel may call at multiple stops on a circular route.
By opting for Wärtsilä’s Hybrid Solution rather than a conventional propulsion arrangement, the operator will benefit from reduced fuel consumption and a far lower level of exhaust emissions.
In 2015 the car ferry “MF Folgefonn” was retrofitted into a full scale hybrid and plug-in hybrid ferry. It can be run as conventional diesel electric, as hybrid electric and plug-in hybrid. In hybrid operation the savings in fuel consumption in optimised mode is 10-20%. Emissions will be reduced by 30%, as a result of both the reduced fuel consumption and the improved operational profile for the combustion engines on board.
