Meyer delivers Brittanny ferry early

Shipbuilder of many Ropax ferries during the 60s and 70s with the last being Silja Europa in 1993, Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, is back in the international ferry business with the completion of the new RoRo-cruise ferry Pont-Aven. The 41,000gt newbuilding, built at a cost of $150 million, was delivered to the French owner Brittany Ferries on 27 February, three days before the date agreed in the contract. During the summer months the 184 metre long Pont-Aven will provide daily service sailings between France and England and between England and Spain. The remainder of the year sailings will be offered between France, England and Ireland.

RoRo facilities

The Pont-Aven features two regular car decks and one hoistable deck located in the upper car deck giving a total of 3,500 lane metres. The hoistable deck is divided into 6 platforms on each side of the ship with the front and back platform serving as access ramps and, therefore, can be lowered hydraulically. When not in use, the individual platforms can be hydraulically raised and locked in their stowed position under the deck head. With only trucks onboard, the main hold will take 72 units of 16.50 metre length while the lower hold will take another 16 units.

With only cars onboard, the main hold, including the total hoistable deck, will take 624 vehicles and the lower hold will take 79. Both car decks offer additional parking areas for a total of 142 motorbikes. Vehicles can reach the lower parking deck from the main hold by means of two 40 metre long, 3.60 metre wide, fixed ramp, one forward and one aft. This lower deck can be closed by means of a hydraulically operated watertight ramp cover.

The ferry features both a stern and bow ramp for loading and unloading purposes and these are opened and closed hydraulically and serve as watertight doors. The stern ramp is a one-piece ramp while, at the bow, the innermost section of the three-piece folding bow ramp forms the collision bulkhead and provides a watertight closure. The two front parts of the closed bow ramp are stowed and locked below deck.

The bow is equipped with a hydraulically operated clamshell door and, to avoid damage, the bow ramp can only be lowered when the bow door is completely open while, conversely, the bow door can only be closed when the bow ramp is completely locked.

Power supply

The main propulsion plant consists of four flexibly mounted MAK 12 VM 43 medium speed 4-stroke diesel engines each with an output of 10,800 kW at 500 rpm and operate on heavy fuel oil. Each pair of engines drives a 5,200 mm Wartsila CP pitch propeller and a 4,500kW shaft generator through a 21,600kW propulsion output Flenders reduction gear. The ship?s service speed is 27 knots. The shaft generators provide electrical power for either the ship?s network or the thrusters.

Electrical power is provided by three medium speed MAK 8 M 25 diesel generator sets each with an output of 2,400 kW at 750 rpm. These are flexibly mounted and have been designed to operate on heavy fuel oil. In addition, one emergency generator (Caterpillar, 600 kW at 1,500 rpm) is installed.

Heating for the ship is provided by a steam boiler system with two HFO-burning boilers (steam production 5t/h each at 7 bar) and four waste-heat boilers (steam production 1.5t/h each at 7 bar). The waste-heat boilers use the exhaust gases from the main engines to generate steam.

For optimum manoeuvrability, Pont-Aven is equipped with two Becker KSR spade rudders as well as two bow thrusters and one stern thruster. The spade rudders have a surface of 18.5 m2 each and are operated through rotary vane steering gears. Both the bow thrusters and the stern one have controllable pitch propellers with a propulsive power of 2,000 kW each.

Cruise ship facilities

The 2,600 passengers can be accommodated in the 652 two and four berth cabins of which 210 are outside units including 16 ?de luxe? and 18 ?commodore class suites? as well as 2 separate ?owner suites?. Nine of the outside cabins have provisions for disabled passengers and are located on the easily accessible deck 6. All cabins feature individual temperature control.

Public rooms comprise of two cinemas on deck 6 seating a total of 90. On deck 7, there is a separate truck drivers restaurant, a self-service restaurant ?Espace? that includes a coffee area as well as a large buffet area and adjacent is a children’s playroom with a soft play area. The ?piano bar? with live music and seating for 80 is also located on deck 7 in addition to the ?main restaurant? which is one of the most attractive rooms onboard

featuring large panoramic windows.

Deck 8 has the ?main bar? which includes an entertainment area, stages and dancing floors as well as a bar counter. A large staircase connects it to the ?mezzanine area? on deck 9. Adjacent to the bar is the casino area while the ?commodore lounge?, located at the after end of deck 8, is exclusive to those passengers staying in the commodore suites and includes access to two side patio areas.

Sporting activities take place on deck 9 which contains the swimming pool under a glass roof and the pool bar while the sun deck is accessible from the pool area. Adjacent is the ?teenage room? featuring many game devices and this room is connected to the main bar by a large flight of steps. For passengers without a cabin, there is a room on deck 9 with 47 reclining seats.

The central interior feature of the ship is the main hall which is 5 decks high (decks 5 to 9) and contains a large shopping mall with stores offering wines, perfumes, magazines, fashion, photography and videos, toys, books etc. Two glass lift shafts offer outside views and the large glass-panelled wall on the starboard side provides passengers with extensive sea-views.