sources : https://hykeelectricferries.com/reinventing-waterways/

Urban centers worldwide are struggling with congested roads, polluted air, and inefficient transport links between waterfront districts. Traditional ferry systems, while useful, often rely on diesel-powered vessels with high operating costs, noise, and emissions making them incompatible with modern sustainability goals and integrated city transit needs. Hyke Electric Ferries addresses this gap by reimagining urban water transport through fully electric, autonomy-ready ferries that blend smart design, zero-emission operation, and seamless integration with existing mobility infrastructure.

Hyke (also known as Hydro lift Smart City Ferries) develops and operates electric, autonomy-prepared ferries for urban waterways, aiming to transform city mobility, reduce congestion, and eliminate emissions from short-distance passenger ferry services. Their solution includes not only the vessels themselves, but also docking, charging, and control infrastructure that integrates with existing urban transit systems.  Hyke is built on the heritage of the Eker Group in Norway, a design and engineering firm with a long history in performance boats and industrial design. The Hyke concept emerged from collaboration between Eker Group and the City of Fredrikstad (which has longstanding ferry operations), combining design expertise and real-world ferry operator experience. 

They position themselves not just as a vessel builder, but as a systems integrator: combining ferry design, autonomy, docking/charging infrastructure, and operations for smart cities.  On the technology front, Hyke relies on autonomy technology supplied by Zeabuz for situational awareness, autopilot, and future autonomous navigation.  They have also partnered with Remota (a joint venture between marine/energy companies) to develop remote operations capabilities for their electric/autonomous shuttles. 

In terms of operations and deployment, Hyke is beginning to field its vessels in Norway and secured contracts for providing ferry service during the 2024 Paris Olympic & Paralympic Games along the Seine.  

The idea for Hyke originated with Bård Eker, a Norwegian designer and entrepreneur from Fredrikstad, who conceived of a more efficient, sustainable ferry system after experiencing the traditional city ferries in his hometown. He spun the project out of his industrial design and boat-building companies under the umbrella of Eker Group, collaborating with Hydro lift and other partners to develop the vessel. A key partner is Dan Bordessa, a Canadian investor who joined as a 50% owner with Eker Group and took an active role on the board to help scale up the business. 

according to their official website, Hyke’s offering centers on what they call the Hyke Shuttle, a modular, electric, autonomy-ready vessel designed for urban settings. The Hyke Shuttle is a compact yet highly capable electric ferry carefully engineered for urban waterways, combining smart design, energy efficiency, and future-ready autonomy. It is under 15 meters in length (≈ 14.9 m), with a beam of about 5.7 m and a shallow draft (~0.5-0.8 m excluding propulsion pods), allowing it to operate in protected waters or waterways with limited depth. Its hull material is GRP (glass-reinforced plastic), providing a lightweight but strong structure. 

Propulsion comes via electric pods (azimuth style in some versions) with built-in redundancy; the power rating is between ~60-150 kW depending on the propulsion option. The battery pack gross capacity ranges from ~95 to 285 kWh, which, together with efficiency measures, allows the Shuttle to consume about 10-12 kWh per hour when traveling at ~6 knots. It has a rooftop solar array (~7 kW peak) and supports wireless (automatic) charging via the docking infrastructure; optionally, backup batteries can be integrated in the jetties to reduce dependency on grid upgrades. 

Other features include a thermal system with air conditioning and heat recovery or recycling, ensuring passenger comfort even in variable climates. Accessibility is emphasized: barrier-free entry via the gangway, suitable for bicycles, wheelchairs, strollers, etc. The design is modular so capacity or interior configuration can be adapted for different use cases; although standard capacity is ~50 passengers (≈ 5.5 tons payload), variants with fewer passengers are possible. 

Navigation and controls are “autonomy-ready” from day one: sensor packs monitor surroundings, enabling features like auto-docking, auto-mooring, safe docking even in wind or waves, and situational awareness. Over time, more autonomous operation (less reliance on onboard crew) is anticipated. In short, the Hyke Shuttle is not just a vessel, but a full system: vessel + smart dock + charging + autonomy + accessibility, designed to integrate with existing infrastructure and scale. 

Hyke Electric Ferries has secured at least NOK 125 million (Norwegian kroner) in growth financing via a private placement round that included investors such as Ocean Zero, RIVE Investment Management, and Eker Group. M&A Insights This funding is meant to support development of their first prototype, improve their ferry concept, and scale operations. 

Final Thoughts

Hyke Electric Ferries (Hydro lift Smart City Ferries) represents a promising venture at the intersection of maritime design, urban planning, and clean mobility. Leveraging the engineering and design strength of the Eker Group, Hyke aims to deliver electric, autonomy-ready ferries that can seamlessly integrate into city transport systems with minimal infrastructure overhaul.

As electric ferry adoption accelerates globally (with many new ferry orders now being electric), Hyke’s success will hinge on securing larger-scale public transit contracts, demonstrating reliability and cost-effectiveness, and scaling their funding and partnerships.

References

Hyke Electric Ferries – Official Website: https://hykeelectricferries.com

Hyke – Our Ferry Solution (technical/product details): https://hykeelectricferries.com/our-ferry-solution/

Hyke – About Us (background & origins): https://hykeelectricferries.com/about-us/

Hyke – Revolutionizing Water Transportation (founder story): https://hykeelectricferries.com/revolutionizing-water-transportation-the-collaborative-creation-of-the-hyke-vessel/

Hyke – Investor announcement (Dan Bordessa partnership): https://hykeelectricferries.com/hydrolift-smart-city-ferries-welcomes-new-investor/

RIVE Private Investment – Investment in Hyke (Paris 2024): https://www.rive-investment.com/en/rive-private-investment-invests-in-hyke-an-urban-electric-ferry-specialist-set-to-provide-river-shuttles-for-the-paris-2024-olympic-and-paralympic-games/

Ocean Zero – Portfolio (Hyke as funded company): https://www.oceanzerollc.com/who-we-fund

Baird Maritime – Vessel Review: Shuttle 0001: https://www.bairdmaritime.com/passenger/ferry/vessel-review-shuttle-0001-norwegian-startup-places-new-electric-commuter-ferry-into-service/

Maritime CleanTech – NOK 11M fund grant: https://maritimecleantech.no/2023/02/17/emissions-free-autonomous-passenger-vessel-awarded-11-million-nok-in-funding/

MainSights – Hyke raises NOK 125M in funding round: https://www.mainsights.io/ma-news/norwegian-hydrolift-smart-city-ferries-raises-nok-125m-in-funding-round

Energy Monitor – Electric ferries / Paris 2024: https://www.energymonitor.ai/sectors/transport/the-secret-to-electric-ferries/

Ships Monthly – Hyke & Remota partnership: https://shipsmonthly.com/news/hyke-and-remota-team-up-for-electric-and-autonomous-ferries/

Contributor : Dyah Ayuning Tyas
Reviewer      : Imam Buchari