Feature 2 | MARINE COMPOSITES
Valö marks first export of CFRP vessel for Brødrene Aa
Brødrene Aa of Norway made a landmark delivery in April 2010 when it exported its first carbon-fibre sandwich composite vessel, a high-speed, 27m passenger catamaran to Sweden’s Styrsöbolaget ferry network, run by Veolia Transport Sverige AB, writes Nicky Stuart.
Vessel owners such as Styrsöbolaget will quickly recoup the
relative expense of carbon- fibre sandwich composite construction through reduced operational costs (Credit: Brødrene Aa)
on its routes in Gothenburg’s Southern Archipelago. At the time of writing, sister vessel Rivo was due for delivery in July and expected to go into service in August. Rivo will be built to exactly the same specifications as Valö. Styrsöbolaget began using high-speed
V
light craft (HSLC) in response to a government drive to ensure that the islands in the Gothenburg Southern Archipelago are better connected and to improve the ferry service for the islands’ approximately 5000 inhabitants who would otherwise be cut off from each other and the mainland. Initially planned to begin operating the route from 20 June, Valö was put
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alö is the first of two 27m high-speed catamarans for Styrsöbolaget, for operation
into service three weeks early due to mechanical problems with the existing fleet. The introduction of the new carbon-fibre high-speed ferry has seen travel time on the approximately 20nm route reduced by around 50%. Valö and sister vessel Rivo will operate the longest route, between Saltholmen, Donsö and Vrångö. The initial contract for Valö and
sister vessel Rivo was confirmed in May 2008 and was followed by long discussions between the owner, yard and regulatory bodies. Valö has been built to International Maritime Organization’s (IMO’s) High Speed Craft Code 2000 regulations for Category A catamaran and Det Norske Veritas (DNV) High Speed Craft rules. Valö also had to meet the requirements of the maritime
department of Transport Styrelsen (the Swedish transport agency). Te ferry operator contracted Sweden’s
Coriolis AB as naval architects on the project and also tasked them to represent Styrsöbolaget during discussions with Brødrene Aa, DNV and Transport Styrelsen.
Cost effective Although a more expensive material than glass fibre, the costs of using carbon- fibre sandwich composites, and the accompanying weight reduction, can be easily recouped in operational savings: vessels are imbued with increased acceleration and cruising speeds; lighter equipment and engines can be used, meaning maintenance costs are lower and fuel consumption is reduced, also
Ship & Boat International July/August 2010
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