Swedish ferry operator Stena Line is currently finalising very large investments on strategically important routes. The world’s largest RoPax ferries are on the way to be introduced during summer and autumn this year on the route from Dutch Hoek van Holland to British Harwich. The already very modern »Stena Britannica/Hollandica«, being lengthened (see HANSA 4/2007, page 32–35) in spring 2007, will be modernised and transferred to the route from Swedish Gothenburg to German Kiel, where they are going to replace the existing four RoPax (2) and RoRo ferries (2) that currently service the Gothenburg–Germany traffic.
The two RoPax ferries »Stena Germanica / Scandinavia« will be upgraded and moved to the route from Swedish Karlskrona to[ds_preview] Polish Gydnia. The total value of this investment, including the new construction of the two »Superferries« as well as the conversions, amounts to slightly more than 8 billion Swedish Kronor (800 mill. €), whereas the investments in vessels alone totals 5 billion SEK (500 mill. €).
In the beginning of November 2006, Norwegian Aker Yards entered into a contract with Swedish Stena Line to deliver two innovative gigantic »Superferries«. The value of this contract was announced at that time with approximately 400 mill. €. Deliveries were scheduled for the first and third quarters of 2010. Options for two further vessels of the same type were included.
In the end of 2006, this important contract was a genuine proof for at that time completely owned Norwegian Aker Yards’ ability to operate across national borders and share competence between its three business areas Cruise & Ferries, Merchant Vessels and Offshore & Specialized Vessels. The basic design of these special »Superferries« took place in Finland and the actual construction and building happened in Germany.
Finnish design
Although the yards within the Group, as well as all competitors traditionally serving the ferry business, were fully booked at thetime of the delivery dates Stena wanted, Aker Yards with its then 17 yards co-operating across borders arranged the possibility to offer building the ferries in Germany with basic designs from Finland. Aker Yards Germany was anyhow on the way to diversify their production away from pure containerships to more sophisticated vessels. So this contract came just in the right time to deepen this intention.
The German facilities in Wismar and Rostock-Warnemünde had experiences in building cruise ships, RoRo tonnage, ice-breaking tankers, offshore drilling platforms as well as cargo and especially containerships. Aker Yards Finland with facilities in Helsinki, Turku and Rauma qualified in designing and building very luxurious giant cruise ships as well as all kinds of ferries over the last forty years. So, good experiences in design, construction and final building as well as qualified outfitting came together in finalising these »Superferries«.
But by March 2007, former mother company Aker ASA pulled its financial interests out of Aker Yards (see HANSA 9/2008, page 78–85) and its influence on this company ended. Since October 2007 Korean STX Group slipped into Aker Yards and finally bought all shares till end of 2008.
Furthermore, since summer 2008, business area Merchant Vessels with its yards in Germany and the Ukraine was concentrated under the new holding subsidiary Aker Yards Ukraine Holding owned first to 70 % and later 100 % of the shares by Russian investing company FLC West. As the new owners did not manage to acquire new orders, as they had promised, and the worldwide financial crisis hindered ship-owners to accept the deliveries of their contracted newbuildings, the yards in Wismar and Rostock-Warnemünde went bankrupt under the newly formed name Wadan-Yards (see HANSA 8/2009, page 50). Finally another Russian investor was found, who continued shipbuilding on a much reduced scale, again under a new name, Nordic Yards, but still needed financial aids from German governments and banks. It became a cornerstone of these commercial arrangements that the two »Stena Superferries« had to be finished in accordance with the original contract.
»Superferry I«
Besides all these commercial troubles, the construction of the two »Superferries« was started in the yards at Wismar and Rostock-Warnemünde under their project name »RoPax 55« just over two years ago. Steelworks and mainly the fore-ships were constructed in Warnemünde whereas the aft-ships with all engine arrangements as well as final outfitting until delivery was scheduled for Wismar. Early in May this year, exactly on 7th May 2010, »Superferry I« was delivered by Nordic Yards to her owners Stena Line.
After some sea-trials and terminal-landing tests in Hoek van Holland as well as in Harwich the first ferry was christened on 9th June by Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of Oranien-Nassau, sister of the Dutch Queen Beatrix, to her name »Stena Hollandica«. Stena Line has bound ferry names always to their referring routes, which means the names of the ferries are always the same. »Stena Hollandica« started her maiden voyage on 16th May.
The two »Superferries«, under construction or just in service, are groundbreaking in their size, their onboard environments, energy efficiency, loading capacity and effective loading as well as unloading options. Over recent years, a growing demand from passengers was realised, when it came to enjoyable onboard experiences, innovative products as well as services. At the same time, there was a growing need for additional freight capacity.
As cargo counted mainly for the income of a ferry, all the year around, more capacity had to be added here soon. A first step was taken in 2007 by lengthening »Stena Britannica / Hollandica« to around 4,000 m truck-lanes each (see HANSA 4/2007, page 32–35). There were only a few RoPax-ferries in service reaching the same freight-capacity (see separate table).
Today, one early example, RoPax-ferry »Ulysses« (see HANSA 5/2001, page 54–62) delivered by Aker Yards Finland – former Finnyards in Rauma – already in 2001, seems to be a forerunner for Stena’s new »Superferries«. This giant reaches 4,080 m truck-lanes on four cargo-decks and accommodating over 2,000 mainly day-passengers on board, despite being 30 m shorter than the new »Superferries«. Other examples are the five RoPax giants of Finnlines »Finnstar« class (see HANSA 10/2006, page 16–20) having each 4,223 m truck-lanes on four trailer-decks, plus 62 cars on a fifth deck as well as accommodation for 500 passengers in 201 cabins. These mainly freight-ferries were only 20 m shorter and built by Italian Fincantieri Group in 2006–2007. After their delivery they were announced the largest RoPax ferries of the world.
That, however, depends how one counts: Pure freight ferries are measured more or less over their rolling cargo capacity in truck-lane-meters. The width of these lanes is normally 3.10–3.50 m and the maximum deck-height 4.80–5.00 m. As some of the lorries are accompanied by drivers, some cabins onboard are needed. As more cabins are installed and as more passengers are accommodated the pure freight-ferries mutate to RoPax- or even car-/passenger-ferries. In case of the largest RoPax-ferries around the globe, »Color Fantasy / Magic« (75,000 GT each) 2,770 passengers are accommodated in 966 cabins and only 1,280 m truck-lanes can be found on 2.5 decks: So, these vessels are called by their owners cruise-liners with car-decks. And passenger-ships are measured generally in GT instead of lane-meters. But the limit between RoRo- (lane-m) and RoPax-ferries (GT) is sliding.
Loading and unloading
Each of Stena’s »Superferries« offers a car-/truck-loading-capacity of 5,500 m truck-lanes and accommodation for 1,200 passengers in 538 cabins. The hulls are 240 m long, 32 m wide, having a maximum draft of 6.40 m giving 11,600 tdw deadweight and a measurement of 62,000 GT. So, the newbuildings of type »RoPax 55« are more freight-carriers (RoRo) than cruise-ferries (RoPax). The width of the hulls allows to arrange mainly nine truck-lanes across the decks, wherever possible.
The hulls number 13 decks from tanktop (Deck 1) to topdeck (Deck 13), of which Deck 1, 3, 5 and 7 are trailer-decks with 4.80 m free height. On Deck 5 portside hoistable car-decks give additional room for 230 cars, if needed. As the main cargo-decks for trucks (Deck 1, 3, 5 and 7) are 4.80 m high at least every second deck is counted and the level between (Deck 2, 4, 6 and 8) is not numbered. Only where a car-deck is really mounted, such as a partial hinged car-deck over Deck 5 portside, a Deck 6 occurs.
Deck 9 is the main public deck with reception, lounges, restaurants, shops, cinemas and bars. Deck 10 and 11 are cabin-decks for passengers and Deck 12 for the crew as well as for other technical rooms, such as the navigation bridge. Main loading levels are Deck 3 (Main Deck) and Deck 5 (Upper Deck) as well as Deck 7 and Deck 1 which can be reached only via tilting or fixed ramps from Deck 5 or Deck 3.
Loading and unloading can be arranged via stern- and bow-ramps in two tiers (Deck 3 + 5) at the same time. This loading procedure requires double-tier-ramps ashore. Of course the width of the bow-opening is smaller (7 m) than the stern-opening (17 m). So, fast loading/unloading should normally be arranged via the stern-ramps. The lower hold (Deck 1) can be reached from Deck 3 via fixed ramps fore and aft. Deck 7 can be loaded and unloaded only via a tiltable ramp from/to Deck 5 aft.
Over the bow Deck 3 opens through two side-opening door-wings and an inner bow-ramp with flaps to the terminal-quay in front. Aft lands a huge stern-ramp with flaps also to the terminal’s quay aft. Deck 5 has a board-side foldable internal platform before the main stern-ramp. To this platform lands a high foldable ramp from a terminal’s construction ashore. Rolling cargo can leave the ferry also through a door in the front-bulkhead over a moveable ramp lowered down from the terminal. Before the ramp moves over, the bow-bulwark has to be lifted up in form of a foldable visor.
As Deck 3 is the main and watertight deck both openings in the deck above the fixed ramps have to be closed by watertight covers. In case of emergency or to speed-up the loading/unloading procedure from Deck 3, the upper loading areas on Deck 5 and Deck 7 can be reached by very long tiltable ramps from the corresponding loading level. The tiltable ramps can be lowered at the aft- or fore-end, as required. Stowing position with load is always the opening in the deck to be covered, in this case Deck 5 and Deck 7.
Accommodation
The ship’s superstructure above Deck 7 accommodates a fourth cargo-deck for trucks in the first level. Deck 9 is the public deck for everybody with areas from aft to bow: sun-deck around the huge funnel, smoking rooms and truckers lounge, various other lounges and bars, places for internet-looking, teenagers, children, cinema, conference, reception, service desk, restaurants in different styles, galley, shopping centre, corridors, toilets and all possibilities to move around.
There are three main fire-zones, each fitted with its own central staircase with fire-protected stairs and partly with lifts down to Deck 3 or even Deck 1. Shorter distances up to the three accommodation decks are connected by stairs only. Various side-stairs connect decks where necessary.
Deck 10 and 11 house 1,200 passengers in 438 double-bedded cabins (876 beds) as well as 100 passengers in five-bedded rooms (500 beds) giving a maximum capacity of 1,376 beds. Two cabins for disabled persons are included. Deck 12 has space for a crew of maximum 60 persons. Double-bedded cabins have two lower berths and five-bedded rooms two upper and two lower berths, of which one is 160 cm wide. All cabins use high quality mattresses being normally 90 cm wide.
Following facilities can be found on Deck 9: Riva Bar, Wine Bar, Casino, Metropolitan (à la carte menu) restaurant, Taste (free flow self service) restaurant, Kids playroom, Teen town, Bureau de Change, Barista coffee bar, C-View lounge, Stena Shopping, Gaming area, Free WiFi throughout the ship, Stena Plus Lounge, Cinema, News room & magazine lounge, Meeting room, Internet room as well as a spacious sundeck with special bar.
Propulsion and technical equipment
MAN Diesel supplied the complete propulsion packages based on its latest common rail (CR) engine, the medium speed type 48/60 CR (48 cm bore, 60 cm stroke). Under MAN Diesel’s programme of progressively introducing common rail fuel injection technology onto its four stroke medium speed engines, the CR-version of the well-established 48/60 engine closely followed the launch of the all-new 560 kW/cylinder 32/44 CR engine (see HANSA 10/2006, page 30–32) in September 2006. The 48/60 CR engines offer 1,200 kW/cyl. at 500 rpm and are used onboard the »RoPax 55« in a four engine, twin propulsion train diesel-mechanical system. In a »father and son« arrangement, each train consists of one inline eight cylinder 8L48/60 CR and one six cylinder 6L48/60 CR engine connected by a twin input, single output shaft type NDSHL-3400 double reduction gear from Rheine-works of MAN Diesel’s sister company Renk AG. The gears also feature shaft alternators driven by 3,000 kW PTOs (power-take-off).
Completing the MAN Diesel propulsion packages are twin 5.20 m type VBS1560, Controllable Pitch Propellers (CPP) from MAN Fredrikshavn-works, 41 m shaft-lines and ODF servo-systems, together with the Alphatronic 2000 Propulsion Control and Management System for engine control room, main bridge and bridge wing consoles. The overall machinery package of each vessel is completed by MAN Diesel GenSets. Each vessel features four generator sets based on one 7L21/31 and three 6L21/31 engines. The generating sets and main engines are all resiliently mounted for the highest levels of onboard comfort for passengers and crew.
Stena confirms that the new common rail versions of the well-established MAN Diesel type 48/60 engine have been chosen for these large RoPax-ferries due to their wide operational flexibility and their combination of favourable fuel efficiency, low emission levels and invisible smoke under part-load operation. With flexible control of injection pressure, timing and rate shaping, common rail fuel injection allows emissions and fuel consumption to be optimised over the engine’s entire load range. In the MAN Diesel CR-system, these advantages are complemented by modular design and suitability for retrofitting on engines already in the field.
For example, the high pressure pumps of the MAN Diesel CR-system are installed in the same bores used for the conventional pumps in a conventional injection system and the pressure accumulators (CR) are segmented to make best use of available space on the engine between the injection pumps and the injectors. In addition, the injectors used are standard, pressure controlled units controlled by solenoid valves mounted at the accumulator outlets.
Manoeuvrability of the huge hull is guarantied by the two controllable pitch propellers and the two flap-type Becker rudders in the water-stream behind of them. In addition there are two bow-thrusters (2 x 3,000 kW) which assist to come away from the quay and to manoeuvre in narrow ports. Under harsh weather conditions fin stabilizers damp the movements of the vessel.
Green ship
The ship is certified with a Green Passport. This means that most of all emissions into the air, the sea or as noise into the surrounding are diminished as far as possible. All emissions from combustion processes and aircondition systems are recycled in heat recovery systems first and re-used to heat up the ship. Therefore all engines are fitted with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) devices. SCR works by converting nitrogen oxides into diatomic nitrogen (N2) and water (H2O). Both of these are harmless when released, and are safe for the environment. The process for making this conversion is to combine the NOx with a reductant, typically ammonia (NH3), which then comes in contact with the catalyst to produce the reaction that separates the NOx into the N2 and H2O. A chemical reaction takes place that separates the toxic NOx into the N2 and H2O. SCR systems can reduce the amount of NOx released by 70–95 %, depending on the application used and the type of operation it is used on.
The SCR system removes NOx from the engine’s exhaust gases. This process takes place within the catalytic converter and employs a urea solution as a reactive agent. The urea is injected into the flow of the exhaust gases by injectors with atomised air before the exhaust gases reach the catalytic converter. When injected into the exhaust-gas flow, urea releases ammonia (NH3) according to the process mentioned above. Unlike nitric oxide emissions, sulphur oxides cannot be reduced by modifying the combustion process inside the engine. All of the sulphur contained in the fuel is output in the exhaust gas. A dramatic reduction in sulphur emissions can be achieved, however, by switching from heavy fuel oil to fuels with lower sulphur content – such as marine diesel oil (MDO) or natural gas. This solution could initially be used in coastal Emission Control Areas (ECA) or in ports, while ships on the high seas can continue to be powered by conventional fuel. The dual tank arrangement required for this, however, is costly and space-consuming. The fuels mentioned above are also significantly more expensive than conventional heavy fuel oil. It must be kept in mind that operating costs of a ship are largely made up of fuel costs.
But generally it has to be kept mainly in mind that all combustion engines are emitting far too much carbon dioxide that harms the environment leading to an increased greenhouse effect for the globe. To reduce this effect it is absolutely necessary to the fuel consumption of the engines as low as possible. So, to install common rail diesel engines, which consume up to 30 % less fuel, is the right answer to these environmental problems.
