[ in detail Marine ]

01.2008.

Ferry oF The FuTure

FiNER iN EvERy REsPECT!
T e x T: m a r j aT Ta p i e T i l | p h o T o : W r T s i l

the marine industry lie in reducing

environmental impacts and improving the overall efficiency
and reliability of ships. These demands cannot be met simply
by developing better engines and propellers, the whole concept
of how a ship and its systems function has to be re-examined.
One such concept is Wrtsils Ferry of the Future.

ChALLENGES FOR

he key drivers in ferry design are efficiency

improvement, emissions reduction and
compliance with future regulations. New
regulations set by the International Maritime
Organisation (IMO) concern passenger ships
constructed on or after 1 July 2010 and must be
taken into consideration in the design of ferries that
are now on the drafting table. Such regulations are for
example the new Safe Return to Port regulations and
the Probabilistic Damage Stability regulations.
New regulations encourage innovative solutions
and the building of better ships, says Oskar
Levander, Director R&D, Operational Performance
Program within Ship Power Technology.
Improving the overall efficiency of a ferry is
no simple task. A very significant proportion of
the energy contained in the fuel is either lost or
unused because of heat losses, exhaust losses, and
transmission, propulsion and other inefficiencies.
The overall efficiency of ferries should be improved
and the demand for power reduced.
longer ships, lower resistance
This can be done by utilizing efficiencies of scale,

lengthening the waterline, taking advantage of new

propulsion concepts, improving methods of heat
recovery and taking alternative fuels into use. While
similar traditional ferries are usually about 180-210 m
long, the Ferry of the Future is designed to have a
length of 225 m. The longer the ship, the smaller the
resistance. This is because of the low speed/length
ratio, explains Levander.
Size really does matter. As an example, lets
compare two ferries cruising at a speed of 25 knots.
The smaller ferry has a length of 185 m and a
breadth of 28 m. The larger one is 225 m long and
has a breadth of 31 m. The carrying capacity of the
smaller ferry is 2000 lane metres, while the larger
offers 2900 lane metres, 45% more than its smaller
sister, Levander says.
At the same time, the power requirement of the
smaller ferry is 31,700 kW while the larger one
demands only 30,200 kW, some 5% less. If the
demand for power is calculated per lane metre, the
difference is even more remarkable: 35% less in the
larger ferry. On the basis of this type of investigations
we believe that one of the future trends will be a
continuing increase in ferry size. p
1.08 Twentyfour7. 67

[ future ferry ]

artists impression
of a next-generation
ferry.

[ in detail Marine ]

Twentyfour7.

burn concept employed in gas engines, NOx emissions

are reduced by 85%. Sulphur is removed from the fuel
when it is liquefied, and particulate emissions resulting
from the combustion of natural gas are very low.
There is no visible smoke and no sludge deposits
are formed. Furthermore, liquid natural gas (LNG) is
extremely cold, and its low temperature can be utilized
for cooling in the ferrys air-conditioning system, says
Levander.
LNG is already a cost-effective fuel alternative. Even
though natural gas is only available in some European
ports, the fact that ferries usually operate on regular
routes means fuel supplies are easy to organise for
many itineraries. As Levander points out, The LNG
supply infrastructure can be built faster than the ferries
themselves.

new bow ramp

arrangements could
speed up roro cargo
handling. [above]
combined crp
and wing thruster
propulsion with three
pulling thrusters and
one shaft line. [below]

Conventional shaft lines to history

In the Ferry of the Future, Levander is ready to abandon
the conventional double-shaft-line solution and replace
it with new propulsion concepts. These include a
solution with counter rotating propellers (CRP) or a
Wing Thruster which has a shaft line in the middle
and two thrusters pulling at the sides. In CRP, the aft
propeller recovers some of the rotational energy in the

we believe that one of

the future trendS will
be a continuing increase
in ferry size.
slipstream from the forward propeller. The advantage of
Wing Thruster propulsion is that individual propeller
loadings are reduced by using three propellers, which
improves operating efficiency. Having twin steerable
thrusters also increases the ferrys manoeuvrability at
slow speeds.
These new propulsion concepts reduce resistance and
result in lower power demands. This leads to lower fuel
consumption and reduced emissions, says Levander.
lnG superior to other fuels
Natural gas has many benefits. It is mainly methane,
which contains the highest amount of energy per amount
of carbon compared to any other fossil fuel. Its carbon
to hydrogen ratio is 1 to 4 and CO emissions are 25%
lower than with conventional fuels. Because of the lean
6 Twentyfour7. 1.08

Ferry of the Future concepts

Wrtsils Ferry of the Future is available now. The
technology and components already exist, the concept
simply applies them in a new and innovative way.
All the delicacies in the concept are included in
the same package. The ferry is powered by combined
dual-fuel electric and mechanical machinery using
LNG as the primary fuel and marine diesel oil (MDO)
as back-up.
Combining two propulsion concepts a centre
shaft line fitted with a CRP plus two Wing Thrusters
at the sides offers clear power savings. A dieselelectric power plant provides optimum efficiency at
low speeds. In addition to propulsion, this power plant
handles the electricity demands of the hotel section,
says Levander.
The Ferry of the Future is large and benefits from
the resulting economies of scale. It has a large cargo
capacity with two extra-wide ten-lane car decks but
no lower cargo hold. Loading and unloading is quick
because of the new bow-door arrangement and drivethrough twin-level link spans.
Easy manoeuvrability and fast turnaround in port
means reduced speeds at sea, which result in lower fuel
consumption. The ferrys overall efficiency is high and
emission rates are low, says Levander.
Passenger comfort is also high on the agenda. Taxfree shops have disappeared. Reasonably-priced outlets
for design products are located on both sides of twinlevel indoor shopping streets. News and Internet cafs,
ice-cream stands and coffee shops offer refreshments,
while small restaurants with an intimate atmosphere
serve exotic cuisines. This ferry offers its passengers
truly memorable experiences.
Designing ferry interiors isnt exactly our field, but to
develop our own products and technology we sometimes
have to step outside our own segment and visualize the
needs of our customers customers. Viewing the ship as
an operational environment helps us take better account
of end-user needs, says Levander.