By
Alice Chambers |
Certification company Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV) is to class nine passenger ferries that will transport over five million passengers annually on three routes between Hong Kong and Lamma Island, Peng Chau and Hei Ling Chau.
The fleet will be built at Hong Kong’s Cheoy Lee shipyard and will be funded by the Hong Kong Government Vessel Subsidy Scheme. They will also comply with High-Speed Craft Code 2000 standards, ensuring they are safer and more environmentally friendly than the ferries they will replace on the route.
Eight of the nine vessels will be built from carbon fibre and one will be constructed from aluminium. They will be fitted with marine diesel engines that are compliant with International Maritime Organization’s Tier III requirements as well as air-cooled Lithium-ion modular battery systems. BV will class the vessels with the Electric Hybrid and Zero Emission mode notation.
“Ferries are vital in Hong Kong,” said Alex Gregg-Smith, senior vice president and chief executive of North Asia and China at BV. “And as the ferry market continues to grow in Hong Kong, this growth is accompanied by a need to comply with safety and environmental protection standards. Working in collaboration and supporting all stakeholders involved in this project, the certifications will help ensure ferry safety as well as their comfort, energy efficiency and environmental compliance.
“Energy efficiency and improved environmental performance have become top priorities in order to reduce operational costs and meet stricter environmental regulations.”
The ferries will also be fitted with solar panels and battery systems to produce onboard electricity. Each vessel will be between 35 and 40 metres long.
Cheoy Lee will deliver the vessels between the end of 2023 and early 2025.