BV to class Canadian hybrid ferries

The 148.9m Seaspan ferries, which are due for delivery in 2016, will operate on Canada’s west coast, carrying up to 59 trailers at speeds of up to 16 knots propelled by azimuthing drives. They will feature twin dual-fuel W9L 34DF generators that will be able to burn LNG from one single 200m³ Type C tank below the main deck.

In addition, they will feature a hybrid battery pack power supply for generating zero emissions energy at quay or during manoeuvring and for any low-load operation.

Philippe Donche-Gay, executive vice president and managing director of the marine and offshore division says this latest contract comes as vessel owners take advantage of LNG as a fuel. “Now that IMO has updated and adopted the IGF Code, the regulatory worries which were holding back owners have been removed and there are a host of new gas fuel projects about to start as owners take advantage of this clean and economical fuel.”

BV has also been chosen to class two 14,000 tonne gas-fuelled asphalt/product tankers also being built in Turkey for Quebec-based Transport Desgagnes.

The Transport Desgagnes tankers will have two 300m³ Type C LNG tanks on the deck powering the dual-fuel ME 5RT Flex 50 DF main engine and two 6L20DF engines and one 8L20DF auxiliary engine and two 3,000kW boilers.

BV says it’s currently involved in gas fuel conversion and newbuild projects involving chemical tankers, small-scale LNG tankers, LNG bunker tankers, cargo and passenger ferries, product tankers and tugs.