Ropax

Stena Orders Ferries from Samsung

Stena Line has ordered two new RoPax vessels from Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea. The vessels will be put into service in 2011 and are planned to operate the route Rotterdam-Harwich. The two new RoPax vessels will be built in South Korea by Samsung Heavy Industries. The shipyard has previously built a number of shuttle tankers and ice-class tankers for Stena Bulk. The two new RoPax vessels are sister ships to the Stena Trader and the Stena Traveller, which went into service on the North Sea earlier this year. The vessels will also be equipped with the latest energy management technology, making them as efficient as possible to run. Stena Trader and Stena Traveller were built in Norway. It is unusual for South Korean yards to build passenger vessels, but is the direction many of the shipyards wish to go in as they seek higher value contracts. Source: Shipping Times

Aker to build Trailer Ropax

Aker Yards and the French company Brittany Ferries have signed a contract for the building of a ropax vessel worth EUR 80 million for delivery in autumn 2007. The contract includes an option of a similar vessel. The vessel will be delivered from the yard in Helsinki, while the blocks will be fabricated mainly in Rauma. "Having delivered two car ferries for Brittany Ferries in the beginning of the 1990`s, we are now very pleased to renew our relationship with the company"

Ulstein Nordvestconsult Garners Design Contract

Ulstein Nordvestconsult (UNVC), part of Vickers Ulstein Marine Systems, was awarded a contract comprised of the design of two 5,950-dwt RoPax ferries for a Greek shipowner. Anek Lines is set to operate the vessels, which will carry trailers, cars and passengers, between Chania and Piraeus. Scheduled for construction at Fosen Mekaniske Verksteder AS, Norway, the RoPax ships are slated for delivery in October 2000 and will measure 656-ft. (200 m) with a beam of 85-ft. (25.8 m).

RoPax Propulsion Concept Proves Efficient

Wärtsilä, in conjunction with the Finnish research project SEATECH 2000+, has been developing some new machinery solutions for RoPax vessels. A promising concept is a semi-diesel electric machinery, where mechanical propulsion is combined with a diesel electric power plant. This new RoPax concept was presented for the first time at the Europort 2001 exhibition. The RoPax vessel has a semi-diesel electric machinery featuring a diesel mechanical part driving a conventional CP propeller and a

Port of Kiel welcomes “Stena Scandinavica”

Latest ship completes ‘generation’ switch on Kiel-Gothenburg Line Kiel, April 20th, 2011: today’s first call by “Stena Scandinavica” at Kiel’s Schwedenkai Terminal rounds off Stena Line’s new ship generation switch on the Kiel-Gothenburg ferry route. During a reception on board, Kiel Port head Dr Dirk Claus presented the traditional first-call plaque to Captain Jan Sjöström

Aerodynamic Garage Ships

With tall, slab sides encasing a multi-deck configuration, the pure car/truck carrier (PCTC) has a characteristically high windage factor, influencing course-keeping, maneuvering and fuel usage. A new series of PCTCs at the top end of the capacity range denotes a particular endeavor by Japanese shipbuilders to raise design performance through close attention to the aerodynamic properties of such vessels. Recently delivered into the long-haul vehicle trade patterns maintained by Mitsui OSK

Brave Merchant Returns to Liverpool - Dublin service

According to Norse Merchant Ferries, its RoPax vessel, Brave Merchant, will re-join its Liverpool - Dublin service following a seven-month period on charter to the U.K. Ministry of Defence. Brave Merchant will replace the charter vessel Norse Mersey, soon to be re-delivered to its Italian owner, and will operate together with Lindarosa to maintain the twice-daily service. Initially, NorseMerchant had taken advantage of the return of Brave Merchant to provide cover for its Liverpool -

Largest Spanish RoPax Enters Service

The largest Spanish flagged RoPax ferry, named Fortuny, has been delivered by IZAR's Puerto Real shipyard to the Spanish shipowner Trasmediterranea. The contract for the construction of this ferry was landed by Puerto Real yard, formerly part of Astilleros Españoles group, on July 30, 1999. The new ferry has become the fastest vessel to join the owner's fleet, with a 23.5 knot speed on the engines' 85 percent continuous service rating.

Two Incat Ferries Launched

Incat Designs has launched two new ferries. The 43m Seastreak Highlands was launched at Gladding Hearn's Massachusetts (USA) yard in late February. This was followed by the launch of 58m RoPax Ferry MiCAT (pictured) by Cairns boatbuilder NQEA Australia one week later. Seastreak Highlands is the 165th Incat Designs - Sydney vessel to be constructed, and will join sister ships Seastreak New Jersey, Seastreak Wall Street and Seastreak New York on the run from Downtown New York to Atlantic

Great Ships of 2001 -- Nils Holgersson

Providing the first application for podded electric drives in the ferry market, July's arrival of the innovative RoPax vessel Nils Holgersson signaled a vibrant new phase of development of the busy Travemuende/Trelleborg route between Germany and Sweden. The TT-Line project marries an advanced diesel-electric configuration with pragmatic requirements relating to operating efficiency, plant and power flexibility, cargo section design and environmental compatibility in the eco-sensitive Baltic