The new ferry design will be employed on the south shore routes
Danish ship designer Knud E. Hansen, in partnership with Fleetway, has recently signed a contract with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada for the basic design of a series of six ferries for Newfoundland.
Hansen says that this is the second such arrangement between the two companies, with the basic design well underway for an 80m ro-pax ferry for year-round operation on the Fogo Island route off the coast of Newfoundland.
The new ferry design, to be employed on the south shore routes, will be developed in close consultation with the end user to ensure that when built the ferries are optimised for the routes, conditions and requirements of the operators.
This, says the company,goes against the current trend for mass-produced designs which loosely fit broad requirements built around major equipment. It believes that meeting end user requirements is particularly important for vessels operating in the sometimes-harsh Canadian climate. As such, aswith the Fogo project, the new vessels will be ice strengthened and designed for year-round operation.
The operating areas for the small but versatile south shore ferries have a reputation for being rough, requiring vessels with good sea keeping and manoeuvring abilities. The 41m steel ships will have a passenger capacity of 36 with a multi-use cargo deck and cargo hold and a service speed of 12 knots.
The vessels will be designed to accommodate persons with a disability, and will meet all Transport Canada and Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Marine Safety regulations. They will be built locally in Newfoundland and Labrador, benefiting those in the community that will also use the ferries.
Source: Motorship