Salthammer shipyard in Vestnes, Norway has begun the construction of two advanced, Coastern 28eH electric-powered workboats for Norwegian marine services company AQS Rederi AS. These workboats, pioneering in both design and environmental responsibility, will be built using SSAB Zero™, an innovative fossil-free steel supplied by SSAB’s subsidiary Tibnor.
SSAB Zero™ is made from recycled steel and produced with fossil-free electricity and biogas – resulting in steel with virtually no fossil carbon emissions.
Tibnor will deliver a total of around 300 tonnes of SSAB Zero™ steel to Salthammer Båtbyggeri AS in two batches. AQS Rederi AS has commissioned two Coastern 28eH supply workboats from Salthammer Båtbyggeri AS, which will be used for fish farming tasks. Both vessels feature a newly developed design from Tomra Engineering AS. The ships focus on energy efficiency and design flexibility, and will have electric propulsion and be powered by 2000 kWh and 1600 kWh batteries. The large battery pack can be charged with shore power and enables continuous electric use. The ships are due to be delivered in Q4 2025 and Q2 2026.
“It is absolutely fantastic that the focus is on environmentally friendly zero-emission steel and that it is completely in line with our goals in innovation and sustainability. With this, we hope that we can show that there are good and greener solutions in our industry,” says Robert Moen, head of HSE, Quality and Sustainability at Salthammer Båtbyggeri AS.
“This represents an important step for AQS towards the realisation of our ambitions,” says AQS Rederi General Manager Pål Anders Lauvsnes. “In collaboration with Salthammer Båtbyggeri AS, we have developed two robust vessels that support our goal of having an all-electric fleet by 2033. The aquaculture industry is developing rapidly, and high demands are placed on vessels and crew. The new vessels will make AQS Rederi better equipped to meet the customers’ expectations in terms of quality, efficiency, climate and environment, while at the same time ensuring the working environment, safety and well-being on board for our crew.”
“It’s great to have Salthammer aboard on our journey toward fossil-free value chains. SSAB Zero™ is a great material for new generation electric-powered supply ships. We will deliver the steel in 6-15 mm thick steel sheets, and the batch for the first ship will leave already in November,” says Svein Johansen, Sales Director at Tibnor.
“The quality and properties of SSAB Zero™ are equal to those of SSAB’s conventional steels. SSAB Zero™ can help the entire marine and offshore industry to reduce carbon emissions without compromising quality standards,” says Matts Nilsson, Head of Sales for Sweden and Norway at SSAB Europe.
The Coastern 28eH is a versatile supply ship with large cranes, efficient deck equipment and a bollard pull of over 25 tonnes. The ships are equipped with an anti-tilting system to maximize crane capacity. The ships are adapted for 24-hour use by minimizing noise and providing comfortable cabin spaces for the crew.
SSAB Zero™ has near zero fossil emissions during steel production, without mass balancing allocation of emission reduction or carbon emission offsetting.
Salthammer Båtbyggeri AS was founded in 1896 and has a long tradition in shipbuilding and steel structures.
AQS Rederi AS is a supplier of shipping services to the Norwegian fish farming industry. It currently has around 160 employees and 16 modern vessels operating on the Norwegian coast.
