Læsø drops plans for new electric ferry over funding

Residents and tourists on Læsø will not get a new electric ferry after the island municipality abandoned plans for the project because it cannot raise the more than 300 million kroner needed, DR reports.

Læsø Municipality accepted an offer from Molslinjen last summer for an electric ferry to replace its two ageing diesel ferries. The ferries have operated on the route since 1997.

Mayor Niels Odgaard of the Conservative Party said the municipality had spent a long time trying to persuade the state to finance part of the new ferry, but had so far been unsuccessful.

“We are the country’s smallest municipality, and the transition is much more expensive than we can afford ourselves. We cannot carry out the task alone,” Odgaard said.

The mayor has not given up hope of finding a solution. The municipality remains in contact with the government, and a working group will be set up to examine how new ferries could be secured for island municipalities.

For now, the plan is to extend the working life of the existing diesel ferries so they can continue operating for another 10 to 20 years.

However, Læsø Municipality faces a further challenge from 2030, when the ferries will be subject to a carbon dioxide tax if they continue using diesel. Odgaard said the charge would cost many millions of kroner.

“We naturally hope that the state understands that we have tried everything we could and will exempt us from the tax,” he said.