By Mark Edward Nero
Vancouver, British Columbia-based Seaspan Ferries has taken delivery of Seaspan Swift, the first of five LNG-battery hybrid ferries from Turkish shipyard Sedef.
Seaspan Swift, the first ferry of its type in North America, was designed by Vard Marine and is powered by two Wartsila dual-fuel engines and a Corvus Energy Storage System (ESS) consisting of 84 advanced lithium polymer batteries.
Construction started in early 2015; the vessel underwent sea trials in Turkey in August.
The Vard-designed single-deck ro/ro trailer ferries will be able to accommodate up to 59 trailers. The design combines dual-fuelled propulsion, hull form efficiency, and a battery backup system that provides 2,200kW for ten minutes to minimize operational costs and environmental impact.
The hybrid propulsion system also permits redundancy while operating at economical speed on a single engine.
Seaspan Ferries is a commercial roll on-roll off ferry service providing transport between British Columbia's Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island's Nanaimo and Swartz Bay terminals. The company, based in Delta, transports truck trailers, containers, and railcars on self-propelled ferries and integrated tug-barge units.
