SHIPYARD NEWS

International effort behind new Baltic service

7 years ago

A new energy-efficient Baltic ferry service for launch later this year will be a north European co-operative effort involving companies in Denmark, Germany, Poland and Latvia, reports Tom Todd.

ÆrøXpressen: ASK hull at Hvide Sande for completion this year.

The Danish ferry company ÆrøXpressen and German operators Förde Reederei Seetouristik (FRS) have signed a management service contract for the new service, which is between the Danish Baltic islands of Ærø and neighbouring Langeland.

Linking the island towns of Marstal and Rudkøbing, the service will be operated by a 49.35m loa and 12.5m beam newbuilding being named ÆrøXpressen. Carrying maximum 196 passengers and 32 cars, construction is a combined effort.

Danish shipyard Hvide Sande is handling the outfitting and completion. Latvia’s ASK Enterprise in Riga built the hull which was towed to Hvide Sande earlier this year.

ÆrøXpressen will have diesel-electric and hybrid propulsion. It will be driven by two electric motors powered by battery packs and two generators. FRS head Birte Dettmers told Maritime Journal the two main engines are Scania DI16 090M 04-35 units and the generators are from Visedo. The two fixed propeller systems on the ship are Korsør/Michigan units with ø1295mm propellers and there are two ZF W650 Marine gearings and two battery packs each of 135KwH, she reported.

Polish ship design and engineering firm Nelton worked with Hvide Sande on the development of the new car/passenger ship’s shallow water and energy efficiency characteristics. It was “a big design challenge” the company said. ÆrøXpressen will draw a maximum 2.2m and according to Nelton will use its electric drive in port.

FRS head Birte Dettmers told Maritime Journal ÆrøXpressen was on schedule for delivery late this year. “We’re looking forward to the new challenge”, she said, adding that FRS maritime know-how would serve ÆrøXpressen well.

At last word FRS and its subsidiaries operated 57 ships and employed more than 20,000 people internationally. It moves 7.9 million passengers and 2.1 million vehicles a year and is also active in the wind offshore sector with crew transfer capability and in maritime consultancy.

ÆrøXpressen, FRS points out, is not the first in its fleet with a particularly eco-friendly propulsion system. The company has been operating solar ferries on German waterways since 2014 –including services in liner traffic to Berlin and in Wolfsburg home of VW cars.