TrAM · Project

Modular Electric Vessel Construction — Build Ships Like Cars, Faster and Greener

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Imagine if you could build boats the way car factories assemble vehicles — from standardized, interchangeable modules that snap together. That's exactly what TrAM figured out for electric ferries and workboats operating near coasts and on rivers. They designed a toolkit of hull sections, propulsion units, passenger cabins, and cockpit modules that shipyards can mix and match for different vessel types. They even built a fully electric fast passenger ferry now running a commuter route into Stavanger, Norway, powered by the region's hydroelectricity.

By the numbers

consortium partners across the project

countries represented in the consortium

demonstrator vessel types designed and validated

additional replication demonstrators at planning level

industry partners in the consortium

total project deliverables completed

53%

industry ratio in the consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Building custom vessels one at a time is slow, expensive, and inefficient — especially for smaller operators who need electric ferries, workboats, or inland waterway craft. Every new vessel means redesigning from scratch, with long lead times and unpredictable costs. The maritime industry lacks the modular, standardized production methods that automotive and rail have used for decades to cut costs and speed up delivery.

The solution

What was built

The project produced a fully electric fast passenger ferry now operating a multi-stop commuter route into Stavanger, Norway, including hull, energy system, propulsion, passenger module, and cockpit module — all built as interchangeable modules. They also delivered land-side charging infrastructure and a mobility hub for water-land connections, plus validated modular designs for 4 vessel types across 21 deliverables.

Audience

Who needs this

Shipyards building small-series ferries, workboats, or inland waterway vesselsPublic transit authorities electrifying coastal and river ferry servicesPort authorities planning shore-side electric vessel charging infrastructureMaritime equipment manufacturers seeking standardized module supply contractsInland waterway logistics operators replacing diesel cargo vessels

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Shipbuilding & Marine Manufacturing

mid-size

Target: Small and mid-size shipyards building ferries, workboats, or inland waterway vessels

If you are a shipyard struggling with one-off vessel designs that blow budgets and timelines — this project developed a modular construction system with interchangeable hull, propulsion, and passenger modules. It was validated across 4 demonstrator vessel types including ferries and workboats, cutting design repetition and enabling standardized production even for small-series builds.

Public Transport & Ferry Operators

enterprise

Target: Municipal or regional transit authorities operating coastal or river ferry services

If you are a transit authority looking to electrify your ferry fleet without commissioning expensive custom vessels each time — TrAM built and operated a fully electric fast passenger ferry on a multi-stop commuter route into Stavanger. The modular design means you can specify vessel capacity and route requirements, then assemble from proven modules rather than starting from scratch.

Port & Waterfront Infrastructure

enterprise

Target: Port authorities and waterfront developers needing charging and intermodal facilities

If you are a port authority planning shore-side infrastructure for electric vessels — this project delivered production-ready land-side charging systems and a mobility hub for water-land interface connections. With 17 partners across 6 countries validating the concept, the infrastructure designs account for real operational demands from ferry and workboat operators.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to adopt this modular vessel design?

The project data does not include specific cost figures. However, the modular approach is explicitly designed to reduce costs by replacing one-off custom vessel construction with standardized, interchangeable modules — combining scale advantages with customization options. Contact the consortium for pricing on licensing the design toolkit.

Can this scale to commercial fleet production?

Yes. The concept was validated through 4 physical demonstrators (two ferries, a workboat, and an inland waterway cargo vessel), plus 5 additional demonstrators at planning and simulation level. The 53% industry ratio in the 17-partner consortium — including 9 industry partners and 3 operators — confirms this was built for commercial reality, not just research.

What about intellectual property and licensing?

The project involved 17 partners across 6 countries, so IP is likely shared among consortium members. Based on available project data, the modular design concept and production methods would need to be licensed through the coordinator (Rogaland County Council, Norway) or the relevant industrial partners. Specific licensing terms are not publicly available.

Does this work only for electric vessels?

The project focused specifically on inshore vessels with electric power systems. However, the modular design methodology — drawing from automotive and rail industry practices — has wider relevance. The consortium states that parts of the work apply beyond electric vessels, though the validated demonstrators are all-electric.

How proven is the technology in real operations?

A fully electric fast passenger ferry was physically built and put into operation on a multi-stop commuter route into Stavanger, Norway. This is not a lab prototype — it carries real commuters in real maritime conditions, powered by regional hydroelectricity. The project also produced shore-side charging infrastructure.

Which vessel types does this cover?

The modular toolkit was applied to 4 demonstrator types: two ferries, a workboat, and a vessel for goods traffic on inland waterways. Five additional vessel configurations were validated through planning and simulation. The aim is a general-purpose toolkit for the full inshore vessel market segment.

Is there regulatory approval for these vessels?

Based on available project data, the ferry demonstrator was built and put into commuter service in Stavanger, which implies it passed relevant maritime safety and classification requirements. Specific certification details are not included in the project description. Regulatory compliance would need to be confirmed per jurisdiction.

Consortium

Who built it

TrAM's 17-partner consortium across 6 countries is heavily weighted toward industry, with 9 industrial partners making up 53% of the team. This is a strong signal for business readiness — the project wasn't just academics theorizing about modular ships. Three operators participated directly as consortium partners, ensuring designs reflect real operational needs. The coordinator is Rogaland County Council in Norway, a public transport authority that co-financed the physical ferry build through its subsidiary Kolumbus, putting real skin in the game. With 2 universities and 2 research organizations providing the technical backbone, plus 3 SMEs bringing agility, this consortium was structured to move from concept to commercial operation — and it delivered.

ROGALAND FYLKESKOMMUNECoordinator · NO
HAMBURGISCHE SCHIFFBAU-VERSUCHSANSTALT GMBHparticipant · DE
ETHNICON METSOVION POLYTECHNIONparticipant · EL
WARTSILA NETHERLANDS BVparticipant · NL
WARTSILA NORWAY ASparticipant · NO
DE VLAAMSE WATERWEGparticipant · BE
MARITIME CLEANTECHparticipant · NO
NORSK HYDRO ASAthirdparty · NO
UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDEparticipant · UK

How to reach the team

Rogaland County Council (Rogaland Fylkeskommune), Norway — a regional public transport authority. Their transport subsidiary Kolumbus operates the demonstrator ferry. Contact through the project website or SciTransfer.

Order a report on this consortium See ROGALAND FYLKESKOMMUNE profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing the modular vessel design for your fleet or shipyard? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the TrAM consortium partners and help structure a technology transfer discussion.

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