Inland waterway innovative newbuild
Frances Alu Marine Shipyard has successfully won a bid to build an innovative inland waterways passenger transport vessel for the city of Calais.
Designed by Stirling Design International, the futuristic vessel has been inspired by advanced tram and railway projects.
Elodie Verdan from Alu Marine said to Maritime Journal: “This boat will offer an interesting modularity. Alu Marine has already built such aluminium boats for inland waters navigation, so the shipyard has the experience and the know-how to build such a boat.
This boat is also a very important project for the city of Calais which will develop, transport facilities for people in urban areas as well as tourism.”
The vessel will sail on the Calais Canal and will operate between the Citadelle and the Pont de Coulogne – it will be operated by Syndicat Intercommunal des Transports du Calaisis (SITAC). The trip will take about 20 minutes to cover the 4km journey travelling at an average speed of 6.5 knots.
Measuring 20 metres, the new vessel has the capacity to carry 70 passengers in the transport version and 44 in the restaurant version.
It is hoped that the vessel will be in service in spring 2013.
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