Re-conversion restores cruise ferry role

A former cruise liner that re-entered service earlier this year with DFDS Seaways has assumed the mantle of Denmark?s largest cruise ferry after a conversion project which included installation of a hoistable car deck and flood control doors. MacGregor has played a key role in the conversion of DFDS Seaways? cruise ferry Pearl of Scandinavia, supplying hoistable car decks and flood control doors, and supervising their installation Now reborn as Pearl of Scandinavia, the vessel was originally built by Wärtsilä in Helsinki in 1989 as the Baltic cruise ferry Athena for Viking Line service between Stockholm and Helsinki. Sold to Star Cruises in 1993, it was converted into the cruise liner Star Aquarius for deployment in Asia. Acquired by DFDS Seaways in January this year, the vessel was re-converted at yards in Hamburg and Aalborg for cruise ferry service on the Danish group?s Copenhagen/Helsingborg-Oslo route from end-June. Impressive accommodation, dining and recreational amenities are provided for up to 2,100 passengers. Contributing to the operational efficiency and safety of the ferry in its new role, MacGregor supplied hoistable car decks and flood control doors for the conversion project, and supervised their installation. Hoistable car decks and associated access ramps with a total area of around 1,700m2 were installed on the starboard side and on the port side of the vehicle deck. When not deployed, the decks are stowed in the hoisted position below deck 5. The starboard deck comprises three panels with access ramps at each end, while the port deck is formed by two panels with access ramps. Hoistable gangways are arranged at two panels port and starboard to provide access to the centre casing. Ramp operation is effected by hydraulic cylinders located in the ship?s structure, which are connected to lifting brackets on the ramps via steel ropes and sheaves. The car deck panels are similarly operated by built-in hydraulic cylinders and a rope/sheave system connected to the deck structure above. Designed to be raised and lowered loaded with cars, the decks can accept a uniformly distributed load of 180kg/m2 and a concentrated wheel load from cars (axle load 800kg and total weight 1,500kg). MacGregor also extended its long reference list of flood control door retrofits for ferries with the installation of four telescopic side-rolling doors on the vehicle deck. The doors on Pearl of Scandinavia are paired port and starboard, each securing clear openings 12.7m wide x 4m high, and are constructed from three aluminium panels, each rolling on a dedicated overhead rail; this allows the panel-set to be driven as an assembly with the width of a single panel, and to shift the assembly into any position using the chain drive. The rails are fitted with hydraulic wheel lifting devices for lowering the door and pressing it against the compression bar on the vehicle deck. Operated by hydraulic motors and chains, the doors can be opened or closed in approximately 60 seconds (excluding locking) and are locked in the closed position by hydraulic battening devices. A gasket mounted on the door panels achieves water-tightness when the door is closed and secured. A panel on the ship?s bridge indicates that each door (as well as its access door) is in the closed and locked position. Existing hydraulic power packs, located fore and aft in the centre casing, were retained for operating the car decks and flood control doors.