By Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri Les saken på Norsk Testing the future of fjord transport – seamless travel, also by bike Representatives from Trondheim municipality recently took part in a test sailing with the Frostabåten, an electric hydrofoil to Munkholmen, to assess the potential for scheduled passenger transport on the fjord. Munkholmen is the small historic island just outside Trondheim city centre, known for its former monastery, fortress and prison, and today a popular recreational destination. Participants from the municipality included Trond Åm from the City Executive Department for Culture, Sports and Outdoor Recreation (V), Knut Kvaran, Head of Unit for Sports and Outdoor Recreation, Marius Austeen, Advisor in the Unit for Sports and Outdoor Recreation, and Paal Christian Bjønnes, Executive Secretary to the City Councillor for Education and Early Childhood in Trondheim municipality. Knut Kvaran tested bringing a bicycle on board. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri Considering scheduled transport to Munkholmen The purpose of the trip was to test how the electric hydrofoil performs in practice, and to explore the opportunities the technology may offer for future, sustainable passenger transport between the city and Munkholmen. “It was great fun to take part in this. I truly hope this can be realised, because there is significant potential for scheduled transport on the fjord. This technology opens up many opportunities, and I hope viable commercial solutions can be found,” says Trond Åm from the City Executive Department for Culture, Sports and Outdoor Recreation (V). Frostabåten at Munkholmen. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri Zero-emission technology with strong potential The Frostabåten project, featuring the electric hydrofoil Candela P-12, is a pilot project for zero-emission scheduled transport on the fjord. The technology offers low energy consumption, reduced noise, and minimal wake. The goal is to test new solutions for efficient and sustainable maritime transport, and it may also be a relevant alternative between Trondheim city centre and Munkholmen. Trond Åm, City Councillor for Culture, Sports and Outdoor Recreation, and Linda Hald, Project Manager for Frostabåten from FI Ocean Space Incubator. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri Combining boat and bicycle The test sailing also demonstrated how the electric hydrofoil can be combined with other modes of transport. Knut Kvaran took the opportunity to bring a bicycle on board and went for a bike ride around Munkholmen after arrival. “This was genuinely exciting. It was great to see how smooth the entire journey was, and very practical that you can bring a bicycle on board. This really makes you want more,” says Knut Kvaran, Head of Unit for Sports and Outdoor Recreation. Knut Kvaran, Head of Unit for Sports and Outdoor Recreation, tested the bicycle on Munkholmen. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri Broad collaboration across industry, research and the public sector The company Crazy Coyote works closely with the municipality on the agreement for operating Munkholmen. Crazy Coyote is also providing the boat pilots during the test period. “This type of vessel is highly exciting, and something we see as a sustainable, future-oriented and safe way to transport tourists and the city’s residents out to Munkholmen,” says Managing Director Kenneth Tanem. “Our ambition is to elevate Munkholmen as a destination, and that means the experience must start already on the journey out to Munkholmen,” he adds. The Frostabåten project is carried out through close collaboration between Frosta Brygge, Trondheim Havn, Ocean Autonomy Cluster, MIDAS, Crazy Coyote, WTW, Login Group, Norsk Droneindustri, SINTEF, Maritime Robotics and FI Ocean Space Incubator. NTNU, through its Shore Control Lab, is a key partner in testing and research related to remote monitoring and autonomous systems. Trondheim municipality and Trøndelag County Council are important public-sector partners and contribute to the financing of the project. Test sailing with the Frostabåten, Candela P-12, on the Trondheimsfjord. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri Knut Kvaran, Head of Unit for Sports and Outdoor Recreation in Trondheim municipality. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri At 15 knots, the hydrofoil on the Candela P-12 lifts the hull out of the water and the boat “flies”. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri Paal Christian Bjønnes, Executive Secretary to the City Councillor for Education and Early Childhood, and Marius Austeen, Advisor in the Unit for Sports and Outdoor Recreation, Trondheim municipality. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri The Frostabåten at Munkholmen. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri Kenneth Tanem, Managing Director of Crazy Coyote and pilot during the Frostabåten test sailings. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri Test sailing of the Frostabåten, electric hydrofoil Candela P-12, on the Trondheimsfjord. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri The boat even has a bicycle rack on board. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri Frostabten at the NTNU quay in Nyhavna. NTNU’s Shore Control Lab is located in the building behind. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri Ole Andreas Alsos remotely monitors the test sailings from NTNU’s Shore Control Lab at Nyhavna, by the NTNU quay. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri First landing at Munkholmen from the Frostabåten. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri Approach to the Pier Terminal at Brattøra, Trondheim. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri Se also: Frostabåten – Successful test sailing of electric hydrofoil in Trondheimsfjorden
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 Interested in a test trip? Anyone interested can already register for demonstration trips and be among the first to experience electric hydrofoil technology on the Trondheim Fjord. Test trip Frostabåten Photo: Candela Contact Linda Cathrine Hald Project Manager, FI Ocean Space Incubator Phone: +47 976 74 134 Email: linda@fi-nor.no