The Norwegian company PSW Power & Automation has won the contract to equip the ferry route between Virtsu and Kuivastu with a Megawatt Charging System (MCS). This route connects the Estonian mainland with the island of Muhu and serves as the primary link to the island of Saaremaa. Two charging points will be installed on each side of the crossing, each offering a charging capacity of up to five megawatts (MW).
Technically, PSW is using a 1,500-volt architecture, which enables high charging capacities and efficiency while providing headroom for future electric vessel requirements. The company is leveraging its experience from several MCS projects in Norway. According to PSW, it has already installed over 250 MW of shore power capacity and more than 100 MWh of integrated battery storage in the Nordic region.
“This contract shows the growing international demand for reliable, scalable and future-ready charging infrastructure in the maritime industry,” says Jens Hjorteset, Director of Business Development at PSW Power & Automation. He said the company is proud that technology developed in Norway is now contributing to the decarbonisation of ports and vessels beyond Scandinavia.
For the Virtsu-Kuivastu route, the Estonian state is currently building a new ferry, scheduled for completion by the end of 2028. It will accommodate up to 380 passengers and 110 cars or eight lorries, making it smaller than the ferries Piret and Toll currently in service. The contract for the ferry is worth 50 million euros, around eight million euros above the originally planned budget.
