SEPTEMBER 11, 2011 — Wärtsilä says it will supply an integrated solution for two dual-fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG) RoPax passenger ferries being built by Canadian shipbuilder Chantier Davie Canada for Société des Traversiers du Québec (STQ).

The two double ended passenger ferries are each capable of accommodating 432 passengers and eight crew members. At 92.0 m long, each vessel will have over 625 lane meters across two decks, allowing various capacity combinations for up to 115 car equivalent units or 16 tractor semi-trailers. They will operate throughout the year between Tadoussac and Baie-Sainte-Catherine on the Saguenay River in Québec, Canada and are scheduled to start service in 2015.

For each of the two vessels, Wärtsilä's contract from the shipbuilder includes the supply of 20DF engines, LNGPac fuel storage and treatment system, electrical power and automation systems, and Wärtsilä's Control & Communication Center (3C), the integrated bridge control, navigation, and communication control system.

Wärtsilä will also provide the shipyard with site management and commissioning services.

The ferries will operate on LNG fuel, but Wärtsilä's dual-fuel engine technology allows a seamless switch to other fuels should it be necessary.

Alan Bowen, CEO of Davie commented: "Wärtsilä is a leader in LNG dual-fuel technology and we are very pleased to add the ferries to our working partnership with them, which presently extends across all construction programs at Davie. As leaders in their respective fields, Davie and Wärtsilä are together able to provide the highest quality of products to a broad range of industries from passenger transportation to offshore oil & gas."

"Wärtsilä's extensive know-how and experience in developing dual-fuel technologies, together with our systems integration capabilities, brings significant added value to customers seeking environmental compliance with operating cost reductions. By being able to offer a total solutions offering and integration support to the shipyard, we can reduce scheduling risks while increasing efficiencies and lowering costs. Furthermore, our lifecycle support capabilities in Canada are first rate, and this will provide the needed operational reliability to the owners," says Mr Magnus Miemois, Vice President Solutions, Wärtsilä Ship Power.

"These orders highlight the global emergence of LNG as a prime fuel for ferries, and prove the value of our dual-fuel system for the uninterrupted and safe transport of passengers, cars and rolling cargo," says Wärtsilä's Wilco van der Linden, head of business development for Merchant, Cruise and Ferry Solutions.

The two Ro-Pax double ended passenger ferries are each capable of accommodating 432 passengers and eight crew members, and offer various capacity combinations for up to 115 car equivalent units or 16 tractor semi-trailers. They will operate throughout the year between Tadoussac and Baie-Sainte-Catherine on the Saguenay River in Québec, Canada and are scheduled to start service in 2015.

Picture: rendering of the STQ Ferry