New river boats impress Czechs

The 44.97m long, 7.54m wide Bohemia Rhapsody draws just 1.3m, carries 220 passengers and displaces 123 t. It was built by German river specialists Schiffswerft Bolle in Derben on the Elbe for Czech operator Prague Passenger Shipping (PPS – Prazska Paroplavebni Spolecnost).

Propulsion comprises a Sisu 74 CTIM-4V 202kW/1800rpm main diesel with a conventional propeller and rudder arrangement providing up to 20 kms/h and making it, in the words of PPS, one of the fastest passenger boats in Prague. PPS adds that the engine is quiet-running and praises low emission levels which meet stringent European standards.

Also available is a manoeuverable bow plant, comprising a Schottel SPJ22 pump jet with an 80kW motor which can be operated by generator or batteries. The plant serves as a redundant emergency system and for hybrid operation. Since the narrow Vitava River in Prague places high demands on manoeuverability, reports said it was clear from the outset the newbuilding needed a 360º bow thruster.

Bohemia Rhapsody is the second boat of its type from Bolle for PPS and follows Grand Bohemia delivered last year.

Schiffswerft Bolle’s Marketing Director Mario Bolle told Maritime Journal the earlier boat is smaller at 37.25m long and 5.7m wide and carries 160 passengers. It displaces 76.5 t and is propelled by a Volvo Penta D7 engine of 169kW/1900rpm.

It also provides 20 kms/h but does not, Bolle noted, have a hybrid engine configuration and instead deploys a transverse thruster for bow manoeuvering. The earlier boat also lacks the well-equipped kitchen enjoyed by Bohemia Rhapsody, Mario Bolle said.

Otherwise the two boats have similar amenities, he reported. They include air conditioning, high-value lighting, panorama views and access for handicapped passengers.

PPS praised the boats. A spokesman said Grand Bohemia had been “so well received that we decided straight away to order a second newbuilding”. He added that “the quality of the new boat … impresses us and our guests . Like its predecessor it offers not only a great view of the Prague skyline but also safety and comfort”.

The updated technology of the new boat also came in for praise with PPS noting it can operate year-round thanks to its powerful air-conditioning system, solar-powered temperature control and ventilation. It says Bohemia Rhapsody’s air-conditioning system also allows excellent visibility even in rainy weather and notes the specially insulated deck on the latest newbuilding which, it says, prevents noise and vibration, as well as the retractable all-glass roof which covers about three-quarters of the ship’s length.

By Tom Todd