Kolumbus hopes for sister ships
Electrification of fast ferries is crucial for reducing CO2 emissions, says director of Kolumbus, Edith Nøkling.
“We are of course enormously proud that we had two candidates in the selection. There was a very good atmosphere in the office when the message came from Skipsrevyen,” says the director of Kolumbus, Edith Nøkling, about the news that they had not just one - but two - nominations for this year's Ship of the Year.
Their happiness did not diminish when they learned that one of them had been named the winner.
“First of all, I am very proud that we won with "Medstraum"! The vessel represents a tremendous boost for us, and the award is a pat on the back for those who have worked on the TrAM project. It is everyone from far-sighted politicians, the shipyard industry and the people of Kolumbus who have done a great job in this project,” she says.
"Medstraum" is the first vessel owned by Kolumbus:
“It had to be this way in order for the project to be realised. Risk, price and complexity made it important that we entered the project as an owner,” explains Nøkling.
Make Rogaland a better place to live
Kolumbus AS is a county mobility supplier owned by Rogaland County Council, which has the task of managing, marketing and informing about the route offer in Rogaland, as well as purchasing transport services from independent bus and boat companies.
Kolombus itself states on its website that it will make Rogaland a better place to live, through more people leaving their private cars at home from time to time. The keywords are communication and individually adapted and up-to-date information.
In addition to more people leaving their cars at home from time to time, Kolumbus will contribute to a better Rogaland by offering a completely fossil fuel-free transport service by 2024. This involves a transition to organic HVO diesel, hybrid operation and all-electric vehicles. Kolumbus will replace a total of 450 buses, 10 fast boats and three ferries.
Long traditions of innovation
“We have long traditions of operating with innovation and smart solutions in Kolumbus, in close cooperation with our operators and partners,” says Nøkling.
Kolumbus' three core values are shortened to "KAN" - Kunde orientert (customer oriented), Ansvarlig (responsible) and Nyskapende (innovative).
Customer-oriented: The consideration of our travellers is paramount in how we develop public transport and perform our services on a daily basis.
Responsible: We shall not go for the easy way out, but earn the trust our customers and owners show us.
Innovative: This value is the driving force for where we are going tomorrow, and means that we work continuously to improve and further develop our products and services.
“I think the nominations help to confirm that we are a mobility company that is constantly looking for solutions that make it easier and more environmentally friendly to solve our mission,” says Nøkling.
Hoping for sister ships
What was the process like for the idea and the construction of "Medstraum" ?
“Kolumbus has an ambition to reduce our CO2 footprint, and then we saw that we had to do something with the fast boats to succeed. In good cooperation between the research and industry partners in the project, we have developed the design with a focus on efficiency, weight and safety,” says Nøkling.
“This has resulted in a boat that meets strict requirements for battery-electric operation, and which has an energy efficiency that exceeds what we had expected,” she adds.
When it comes to the question of whether sister ships will appear in the future, the answer is clear:
“We really hope so. Electrification of fast boats is essential to reduce CO2 emissions.”
