Illustration of the four ferries, currently being built with delays at the Turkish Tersan Shipyard

Fjord1 to begin operations on busy E39 corridor without its four new ferries

FerryWhen Norwegian ferry operator Fjord1 takes over the concession for the busy Lavik–Oppedal route from Norled on 1 September, just over 100 kilometres north of Bergen on the E39 trunk road, it will do so without the four potentially autonomous newbuildings ordered from Tersan Shipyard in Türkiye in February 2024.

The four fully electric, 120-metre double-ended ferries, which are being built ready for automated docking and crossings, will not be delivered from the Turkish Tersan Shipyard in time for the start of the contract. Fjord1 says the four newbuildings are expected to be delivered during the autumn. Following their arrival in Norway, they will be phased into service individually after a period of testing.

During the first months of the new contract period, the service will therefore be maintained by two of Norled’s current ferries on the route, STAVANGER and OPPEDAL, while Fjord1 will deploy LIFJORD and HJØRUNDFJORD from its own fleet.

Fjord1’s takeover of the route from Norled will also mark at least a temporary farewell to the pioneering AMPERE, which Norled took delivery of from Norway’s Fjellstrand in 2015 as the world’s first fully electric car and passenger ferry for the Lavik–Oppedal route. AMPERE has now been offered for sale on the second-hand market. Just over 11 years after AMPERE’s delivery, electric propulsion has long since become the norm for virtually all new ferries in Norway.

Fjord1’s four new ferries for the route will each have capacity for 120 cars and 399 passengers. They will be named SKAGASTØL, FANARAAKEN, RINGSTIND and STOREBJØRN.

aug 28 2026