Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV) has classed two next-generation, all-electric high-speed trimarans for Brim Explorer.
The vessels will be constructed at Herde Kompositt in Hardanger, with outfitting carried out by Horten Skipsreparasjoner. They were developed by Brim Tech, the technology arm of Brim Explorer, following nearly six years of operational testing and optimizations using the company’s existing vessels as test platforms in Northern Norway and Oslo.
The trimarans are purpose-built for electric propulsion, with a design shaped by real-world testing in Arctic conditions, fjords and open sea. The highly optimized hull was developed by Wind Naval Architects to minimize energy consumption. Each vessel will accommodate up to 180 passengers and is expected to achieve a range of approximately 100 nautical miles at 20kts on a single charge.
Once delivered, the vessels will operate quiet, zero-emission sightseeing tours in Norway’s fjords.
David Barrow, SVP for Western Europe and Americas at Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, said, “This project highlights the growing momentum behind electric propulsion in maritime transport. Bureau Veritas is delighted to partner with Brim Explorer in bringing these advanced trimarans to life, helping to ensure that innovation goes hand in hand with safety, performance and regulatory compliance, while supporting the industry’s transition toward low- and zero-emission shipping.”
Espen Larsen-Hakkebo, CTO and co-founder of Brim Explorer, said, “These trimarans represent the next step in our ‘electric by design’ approach. After six years of operating our boats in tough conditions in northern Norway and Oslo, we are now able to develop a new generation of high-speed, long-range, zero-emission boats. Having Bureau Veritas as class partner is important to ensure that these new technologies are integrated safely and reliably.”
In related news, Brim Explorer completes order for the construction of “world’s most efficient” battery-powered passenger vessels