Zero direct emission-freight ferry

Scandlines has ordered a new zero direct emissions-freight ferry for the Puttgarden-Rødby route. The ferry will be officially named Futura when she is inserted in the beginning of 2025 and will launch the next generation of ferries on the route.

The ferry will be built at the Cemre Shipyard in Turkey in close cooperation with Scandlines’ experts.

Increased freight capacity

The new vessel increases the current capacity to transporting freight units by 23 percent on the route

The new freight ferry will be able to transport lorries on both the upper and lower decks. Therefore the berths in Puttgarden and Rødby must be rebuilt to also load lorries on the upper deck.

Renewable energy

When the ferry starts operating on the Fehmarn Belt in 2025, the large battery system of 10 MWh can be charged in just 17 minutes in Rødby. With renewable power, of course. In 2019, Scandlines invested in a 50 kV / 25 MW power cable to Rødbyhavn. This cable has now been extended approximately 1.2 kilometres to the new transformer between ferry berth 2 and 3. The ferry charger, transformer, control and switch gear equipment are already in place at the ferry berth in Rødbyhavn.

Now Scandlines is investing in a 30 kV / 15 MW power cable including transformer and charging station for the port of Puttgarden. As of 2025, this will reduce the charging time to just 12 minutes in each port and allow the ferry to cover the 18.5 km between Puttgarden and Rødby in 45 minutes with zero direct emissions.

Emission free ferry operation

With a crossing time of one hour, the ferry is emission free in operation. It can also be operated as a hybrid ferry and then the crossing time is 45 minutes

Scandlines’ is working on being able to operate completely emission-free within few years, initially on Puttgarden-Rødby. By investing in the new emission-free ferry, we have taken an important step towards achieving this goal.

Construction of Scandlines’ zero direct emissions ferry has entered the final phase

The construction of the E/V Futura at the Cemre shipyard is entering its final phase. 29 July 2024, the ship entered the floating dock to have the bottom cleaned and painted, among other things, and 10 August she headed out to sea again.

The two weeks in the floating dock of the yard, transformed Scandlines’ new emission-free Fehmarn ferry E/V Futura into a swan. The bridge and the upper part of the ship are painted white with the characteristic green stripe.

E/V Futura is now back at the fitting-out quay, where she must be completely finished. All auxiliary systems must be tested, and then she will go on a sea trial before heading to Denmark

The ferry will be officially named at a ceremony in connection with its deployment on the Fehmarn Belt in the beginning of 2025.

Launching of the new zero direct emissions-ferry

25 November 2023, Scandlines’ new zero direct emissions-freight ferry was traditionally launched from the Turkish Cemre Shipyard. The ferry will be named Futura at a naming ceremony in connection with its deployment on the Fehmarn Belt in 2024.

Keel laying of new ferry

In August 2022, Scandlines and Cemre Shipyard, Turkey passed a milestone in connection with the keel laying of Scandlines' new zero direct emission-freight ferry. 

Like other modern ships, the ferry will not be built around a single keel but rather with a number of hull sections. On 30 August, the first block was placed on the slipway.

Steel Cutting start for new ferry

The first steel plates for Scandlines’ new zero direct emission-ferry were cut on 4 April 2022 at the Cemre shipyard in Turkey. A small traditional ceremony took place and was the culmination of months of intense preparation.

Data for Scandlines' zero direct emissions-freight ferry for the Puttgarden-Rødby route:

• Length: 147.4 m
• Breadth: 25.4 m
• Design draft: 5.30 m
• Freight capacity: 66 freight units (abt. 1,200 lane meters)
• Max. number of passengers: 140
• Service speed: 16/10 knots
• Crossing time: 45 minutes (as of 2025)
• Battery system: 10 MWh
• Charging time in port: 12 minutes (as of 2025)
• Direct emissions during the crossing: 0
• Investment: 80 MEUR