Caterpillar Marine has announced that Cat power solutions have been selected to power four 3100 LM RoPax Ferries for Stena Line. Each ferry will be equipped with two MaK™ 12 M 43 C propulsion engines.
“By combining a set of proven technologies Caterpillar’s solution will provide Stena Line the most fuel efficient ferries in the world and will set a new industry standard when it comes to operational performance, emissions and cost competitiveness, positioning Stena Line to support its customers in the next decades,” said Ulf Hannemann, cruise and ferry segment manager at Caterpillar Marine.
In addition to the engines and required gear boxes, Caterpillar will be supplying two MPP1500F controllable pitch propellers and two MPP1410F controllable pitch propellers. “The propellers have the unique ability to be put in full feathering position, enabling the vessel to operate with only one propeller in certain modes. This improves vessel flexibility and reduces operating costs while at the same time increases safety on board the vessel” noted Mattias Hansson, engineering manager at Caterpillar’s Marine Solution Center. “The full feathering feature is entirely automatic and selectable via the control system.”
Cat dealer Pon Power A/S led Caterpillar efforts on the project and will continue to manage subsequent service of the Caterpillar solutions. “The Stena project is a significant milestone for both Pon Power A/S and Caterpillar Marine as Stena Line is one of the first leading European ferry operators to place such an order from a Chinese shipyard,” said Erik Hass, key account manager at Pon Power A/S.
With 3,100 lane meters in a drive-through configuration (length of 212 meters and a width of 27.8 meters), the ferries will have capacity to carry 1,000 passengers onboard, including 73 crew members. The ferries will be constructed at AVIC Weihai SY with Deltamarin as the design house.