To address an ongoing population decline in West Falkland, FIG wants to introduce a ferry service to East Falkland as part of a new integrated road and ferry system around the islands. It is expected to also boost visitors to West Falkland, which at present can only be reached using the inter-island airplane service or, with difficulty, by sea.

The new ro-ro ferry will initially run twice weekly between New Haven on East Falkland and Port Howard on West Falkland. The Public Works Department is developing suitable infrastructure at the chosen ports.

The vessel is also required to visit all of the outlying smaller Falkland Islands on a six weekly cycle, delivering food, fuel and equipment and collecting cargoes such as wool, sheep and cattle.

Workboat Services has purchased a new 45m landing craft built at Miri in East Malaysia which will service the contract. Further conversion works are being undertaken which will enable ‘Concordia Bay’ to be classed to carry up to 30 passengers on the ro-ro route. A crane and other equipment will be added to facilitate the outer island trade. The newbuild will take over from FIG’s existing vessel ‘Tamar’, which is unable to perform the required ro-ro service.

Concordia Bay is powered by twin Cummins KTA 19M3 marine diesels, each delivering 640 bhp at 1,800 rpm through Twin Disc MG 5170 DC gearboxes. This package will take the 510 dwt craft to 10 knots at 50% loaded condition. There is a deck cargo capacity of some 350 tons across 240m2 of hardwood covered working deck.