FRS Finland, the Finnish subsidiary of German operator FRS, has won a public tender for a 15-year transport contract on the route Kalkkiranta–Bodö–Pörtö to be operated by an all-electric vessel.
Pörtö is part of the Porvoo archipelago east of Helsinki and is located approximately 10km from the mainland. The contract covers the year-round operation of the route. FRS Finland will commence operations on 1 September 2027 using an emission free ferry.
During the ice-free season, FRS Finland will deploy a new fully electric, emission-free vessel built by Callboats in Vaasa, Finland. The CAT 16 type vessel can carry up to 58 passengers and is fully accessible. During the winter season, the route will be operated by an icebreaker and by a hovercraft. With this project, FRS Finland will introduce the first electric passenger vessel of this size into regular scheduled service in Finland.
Tim Kunstmann, MD FRS Europe Division, said: “We are very pleased that the Finnish government has created the framework conditions for emission-free transport and that we have found an innovative European technology partner in Callboats.”
The vessel will be equipped with advanced autonomous technology. While a crew will remain on board, the system can monitor navigation along the route and assist with manoeuvring and docking.
Peter Östberg, Callboats MD, added: “It uses a combination of different sensors that enable it to detect obstacles under almost all conditions, often even better than humans.”
FRS Finland has been working long-term to reduce emissions in its operations. The company already uses environmentally friendly biodiesel on several routes. This will also be the case on this route during the winter season when the winter fleet is in operation.
Image: Callboat CAT 16 electric ferry (source: FRS Group)
