A new passenger survey for Frostabåten confirms what the project team has long believed: there is strong interest in a new ferry connection between Frosta and Trondheim. At the same time, the results show that the passenger base is even stronger than expected, both among commuters and people who own holiday homes in Frosta. The survey, which collected responses from 1,332 people with connections to Frosta, follows this winter’s extensive test sailing programme with the electric hydrofoil ferry Candela P-12 in Trondheim Fjord. The trials were carried out through the Frostabåten project in collaboration with Ocean Autonomy Cluster, FI Ocean Space Incubator, Testination, NTNU, and a range of public and private stakeholders to explore both the technology and the market potential for a future maritime connection between Frosta and Trondheim. Confidence in the project confirmed Mayor Frode Revhaug believes the survey sends a clear signal that interest in Frostabåten is deeply rooted in the local community. “I am delighted to see that so many people want to use Frostabåten. For me, this is about making everyday life easier for those who live here and enabling more people to choose Frosta as their home while working or studying in Trondheim. It is also exciting to see that so many part-time residents say the ferry could encourage them to spend more time here. There is still work to be done before a permanent service is established, but these responses provide strong motivation to continue moving forward,” says Mayor Frode Revhaug. Mayor of Frosta, Frode Revhaug. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset / Fremtidens Industri Project initiator Terje Viken says the results align closely with the impressions gathered during the test sailing programme. “We expected strong interest, and that has been confirmed throughout the entire testing period. What is particularly interesting is just how broad the passenger base actually is. We are not only seeing a significant number of potential commuters, but also very strong interest from people who own holiday homes in Frosta. That creates a much more robust market foundation than a traditional commuter service alone,” says Viken. 235 want to commute The survey shows that 235 respondents say they would commute to work or study in Trondheim if the timetable matched their needs. When responses are weighted according to expected travel frequency, this corresponds to approximately 144 passengers in each direction on an average weekday. The figures point to a substantial market for a future high-speed ferry service. The survey also indicates that the connection could influence settlement patterns. Several respondents considering relocating to Frosta say that a ferry service would make the municipality a more attractive place to live. The survey also provides a clear indication of the most important departure times. Nearly half of all morning commuters prefer departures between 06:30 and 07:30, while afternoon demand is distributed relatively evenly between the periods 15:00-16:00 and 16:00-17:00. Frostabåten pioneer Terje Viken. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset / Fremtidens Industri Strong interest among holiday-home owners One of the most interesting findings is the strong interest among people who own holiday homes in Frosta. Of the 506 respondents who identify as part-time residents, 337 say they would use Frostabåten to travel to and from their holiday properties. That corresponds to roughly two-thirds of the group. An additional 223 holiday-home owners say that a ferry service would encourage them to spend more time in Frosta throughout the year and commute to Trondheim from there more frequently. This potential comes on top of the regular commuter market and is therefore not included in the estimate of 144 daily commuter passengers. In total, the survey estimates approximately 5,600 leisure trips per month. As many as 76 percent of respondents say they would use the ferry at least once or twice per month for activities such as cultural events, dining, shopping, and visiting friends and family. This means Frostabåten could become much more than a commuter service. It could also serve as an important link between Trondheim and the many holiday homes in Frosta, generating significant traffic during afternoons, weekends, and holiday periods. At 15 knots, the hydrofoils lift the hull out of the water and the vessel begins to fly. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset / Fremtidens Industri Winter trials provided valuable insights The strong interest reflected in the survey is consistent with experiences from the winter testing programme. During the trials, the Candela P-12 operated between Trondheim, Frosta, Leksvik, Munkholmen, Grilstad Marina, and several other locations around the fjord. The purpose was both to demonstrate the vessel’s capabilities and to gather data that can support the future development of maritime mobility solutions. The project also demonstrated how electric hydrofoil vessels can dramatically reduce energy consumption compared with conventional high-speed ferries. By lifting the hull above the water on hydrofoils, the Candela P-12 reduces drag and combines high speed with low emissions and low energy use. Research partners used the test period to explore future solutions for increasingly automated maritime operations. Through collaboration with NTNU Shore Control Lab, the vessel was connected to a shore-based control centre via the 5G network to test remote monitoring, video streaming, and navigation support systems. NTNU Shore Control Lab. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset / Fremtidens Industri Strengthening the foundation for future development The goal of Frostabåten is to establish an emission-free transport connection that can reduce travel time between Frosta and Trondheim to around 25 minutes. The project also aims to support green mobility, regional development, and new opportunities for settlement, business growth, and tourism on both sides of Trondheim Fjord. For project partners Ocean Autonomy Cluster, FI Ocean Space Incubator, and Testination, the survey provides important evidence that there is not only a strong technological case for the initiative, but also a substantial market eager to use the service. Although the survey notes that respondents were self-selected and therefore may not fully represent the entire population, the overall picture is clear: interest in restoring a fast maritime connection between Frosta and Trondheim is strong. The findings confirm the project’s expectations of significant demand while also demonstrating that the market potential, particularly among holiday-home owners, is even greater than anticipated. Test sailing of Frostabåten, the electric hydrofoil Candela P-12, in Trondheim Fjord. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset / Fremtidens Industri
Les saken på norsk In December, Frostabåten will begin test sailings on the Trondheim Fjord using the electric hydrofoil vessel Candela P-12. The tests mark an important step toward assessing whether an emission-free and energy-efficient route can be established between Frosta and Trondheim, a connection that currently has no boat service. The purpose is to develop a sustainable transport line on the Trondheim Fjord, and potentially also on its inner sections, that can evolve into an autonomy project, a tourism concept, and a commuter route. Frostabåten is inspired by the former ferry connection between Frosta and Trondheim, which was discontinued in 1947. The project will now examine whether modern electric hydrofoil technology can make a revival possible. Plan for testsailing Kenneth Tanem, Terje Viken, Kenneth Aakerholm, Linda Hald and Zilvinas Ciuzelis during test in Oslofjorden. Photo: Frostabåten A hydrofoil is a vessel equipped with underwater wings that lift the hull out of the water at speed, reducing drag and lowering energy consumption by up to 80 percent. The boat reaches a top speed of 30 knots. With battery-electric propulsion, range is limited to keep weight down. This vessel can operate up to 40 nautical miles (74 km) at a cruising speed of 25 knots, more than sufficient for shorter distances like the Trondheim Fjord. Smaller battery packs also reduce weight and improve energy efficiency. The result is a quiet, fast, and emission-free connection that can reduce travel time to around 25 minutes, a fraction of today’s driving time between Frosta and Trondheim. “On the Trondheim Fjord, this technology makes it possible to operate routes where the passenger base is too small for larger vessels,” says Terje Viken, initiator and CEO of Frostabåten AS. Terje Viken, initiator and CEO of Frostabåten AS. Photo: Frostingen Testing autonomous technology The autonomous technology to be tested will support the vessel operator in navigation and operations. Functions such as steering, energy optimization and navigation will be tested systematically in different sea states, including winter, cold, darkness, and the rough conditions commonly found on the Trondheim Fjord. NTNU and Shore Control Lab play an active role in the project, conducting research on how autonomous functions can support the operator during demanding conditions. “We will install a gateway on the vessel that enables the transfer of high-quality video from the vessel to a shore-based control room via the mobile network,” says Ole Andreas Alsos, head of the Shore Control Lab and Professor of Interaction Design at NTNU. This will allow the project to explore long-term possibilities for remote monitoring and remote operation from shore. NTNU will also map the passenger experience to support the design of future ferry services. Even with autonomous features, the vessel will not be crewless. It will remain operator-controlled, but the systems will provide decision support and operational efficiency. The test results will serve as an important foundation for further development of autonomous solutions. The research will document how the systems perform in varying wave, wind and temperature conditions and will contribute to further development of autonomous, emission-free operations on fjords and short routes. How the testing will be carried out The test period will run from Wednesday, 10 December to 19 December. From 8 December, training of operators will begin while the onshore and charging infrastructure is prepared for test operations. From 15 December, the active testing phase will start, including systematic sea trials, measurements of energy consumption and stability under different wave, wind and temperature conditions, manoeuvring exercises, and demonstration trips for invited stakeholders. The testing will continue until January 2026 and will provide a comprehensive decision-making basis for technology, operations, and potential future routes. Ole Andreas Alsos, head of Shore Control Lab and professor in Interaction Design, NTNU. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri “This is only the beginning” The technology enables small, frequent departures instead of large ferries carrying only a handful of passengers. In many parts of the country, large boats with capacity for hundreds operate with only 20–30 passengers onboard – neither efficient nor economical. On the Trondheim Fjord, the hydrofoil makes it possible to run routes where larger vessels would not be viable. “This is only the beginning. Our ambition is to establish a scalable business model for autonomous fast ferries that can be used in several locations, first in Norway and later internationally. At the same time, the test model will provide technical data and help develop ecosystems and business models for emission-free and autonomous operations,” says Linda Cathrine Hald, project manager for Frostabåten at FI Ocean Space Incubator. Frostabåten will also explore how the tests can form the basis for an integrated transport system combining autonomous technology, commuting and tourism, with possible commuter routes from Frosta, Leksvik, Vanvikan and Munkholmen. Linda Cathrine Hald, project manager for Frostabåten at FI Ocean Space Incubator. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset / Fremtidens Industri Project partners The Frostabåten test project is carried out in close collaboration with Frosta Brygge, Trondheim Port, Ocean Autonomy Cluster, MIDAS, Crazy Coyote, WTW, Login Group, Norsk Droneindustri, Maritime Robotics and FI Ocean Space Incubator, with NTNU and Shore Control Lab as key partners for testing and research on autonomous systems. The Municipality of Trondheim and Trøndelag County Council are important partners contributing funding. Next steps Frostabåten aims to develop a scalable model for autonomous fast ferries that can be deployed in multiple locations, both in Norway and internationally. The project will also test the potential for future commuter routes from Frosta, Leksvik, Vanvikan and Munkholmen, as well as tourism concepts based on year-round, emission-free transport. Facts about Frostabåten Planned route: Frosta – Trondheim Distance: 22 km / approx. 25 minutes travel time Vessel: Candela P-12 electric hydrofoil Capacity: 31 passengers Emissions: Zero local emissions Photo: Candela Contact Linda Cathrine Hald Project Manager, FI Ocean Space Incubator Phone: +47 976 74 134 Email: linda@fi-nor.no