Aker to build worlds largest ferries

Aker Yards has contracted with Stena Rederi in Gothenburg, Sweden, to deliver two innovative super ferries. The value of the contract is approximately $510 million. Deliveries are scheduled for the first and third quarter of 2010 and the order includes options for two further vessels of the same type.

The basic design of these special ferries will take place at Aker yards Rauma in Finland and the building at Aker Yards in Germany. Although the yards traditionally serving the ferry business (Finland and France) were fully booked for the delivery dates requested by the client, Aker Yards with its 17 yards co-operating across borders had the possibility to offer building of the ferries in Germany. The German yards at Waremunde and Wismar have experience in building passenger ships and roro ferries while the designer, Aker Yards, Rauma, has experience in designing and building of passenger and car ferries.

The 62,000 gt ships ordered will be 240 metres long and 32 metres wide. In each vessel there will be 5,500 trailer lane metres and 700 car lane metres of vehicle space, and the passenger capacity will be 1,200. With main engine output of four 8,000 kW medium speed 4-stroke diesel engines, they will reach a service speed of 22 knots