Feature 3 | FAST PASSENGER AND FREIGHT FERRIES Fast ferries on the pace
Brakes come off fast ferries as new designs with greater efficiencies offer pace with reduced power says Germanischer Lloyd. Sandra Speares reports
F
uel consumption has been a major brake on the fast ferry market, but according to Lutz Laubenstein, vice
president at Germanischer Lloyd, there are newbuilding projects around that use the existing high speed fast ferry hull designs, but have a different propulsion system installed which allows for speeds of 20 plus knots against the older models that travelled at speeds of approximately 47knots. Tese systems are diesel and propeller
driven as opposed to the water jet concept of the past, he explains. GL has
the Austal-built trimaran
servicing the Canary Islands in class and Laubenstein explains that the new trimaran design has the same space for passengers and trucks, but the number of engines has been reduced from four to three, maintaining the same speed with improved sea keeping that gives a more comfortable voyage experience for passengers, compared to high speed catamarans. Trimarans are also capable of operating in higher wave heights than catamarans. Another new development Laubenstein
points to is ferry designs involving carbon fibre or glass fibre construction as opposed to aluminium, with the
GL vice president Lutz Laubenstein says that the maritime industry’s drive for fuel efficiency has significantly slowed fast ferries, but their relative speed, compared to other ferries, remains higher
lighter material improving performance and cutting fuel consumption. Tis new development is only possible because of the IMO High Speed Craſt Code because normal commercial vessels’ compliance with SOLAS fire safety requirements is necessary and this is not possible with a carbon or glass fibre construction.
Te IMO High Speed Craſt Code has a “different philosophy” Laubenstein says, and it is this that permits glass fibre or carbon fibre craſt to enter into service. Although in the past use of such
materials has been restricted to smaller craſt, designs for 40m plus commercial vessels are now available, although designs for private vessels using these materials are obviously already on the market. One of the points to bear in mind is the
manufacturing process for a carbon fibre vessel is completely different, Laubenstein explains, because drilling holes in the hull is out of the question, as would be the case in carrying out repairs to a steel ship. Tis is not to say that repairs cannot be made, but more engineering has to be applied to the process and more attention has to be paid on how to do it. It is not a question of going to a yard and saying: “Please weld a new guard rail onto the vessel,” he says. Hulls also have to be built under
cover. Although specialist shipyards for this kind of work are relatively few, the number is growing. Commercial vessels made of glass fibre are already in operation, and Laubenstein mentions one operating in Copenhagen.
The fast trimaran Benchijigua Express was delivered to Fred Olsen in 2005, and is powered by four MTU Series 8000 (20V) diesel engines each developing 8,200kW power pushing the 126.6m long vessel to speeds of 42knots
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The Naval Architect September 2012
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