Since entering service in 2015, the Norwegian electric ferry MF Ampere has clocked up a staggering mileage, equivalent to circling the equator 17 times—all powered solely by batteries. The vessel has become a touchstone for sustainable maritime transport, proving beyond doubt that electrification is not only feasible but also commercially viable.

A decade on, the Ampere remains a striking case study in the transformative power of electric propulsion. Initially dismissed by sceptics, the project has since become a blueprint for ferry electrification, influencing the deployment of battery-electric solutions in fleets across the globe.

Norway has entrenched its position as a global leader in green shipping, its ferry electrification programme stretching from the fjords of the south to the Arctic north. The shift can be traced back to a defining moment when the Norwegian Public Roads Administration made sustainability a core requirement for the new ferry crossing the Sognefjord. Ferry operator Norled, recognising an opportunity, turned to Fjellstrand Shipyard to explore an electric alternative. The result was the Ampere, an industry-defining design that secured Norled’s contract and redefined expectations for ferry operations.elec