The Hong Kong operator is building six new ferries with features including a next-generation hull and solar panels
Hong Kong ferry operator Sun Ferry has six new ferries lined up that boost energy efficiency, performance requirements and customer experience.
Sun Ferry contracted Incat Crowther to design the fast ferries, and they are being built by Guangzhou, China-based shipbuilder AFAI Southern Shipyard.
The first ferry, Xin Ming Xhu VIII, started operations in February this year on the busy Central Ferry Pier to Mui Wo and Cheung Chau commuter routes in Hong Kong.
Incat Crowther technical manager Sam Mackay says, “The new ferries represent an upgrade on Sun Ferry’s current fleet and will provide the people of Hong Kong with a world-class, mass transit customer experience.
Asked why Incat Crowther scooped the contract, he says, “Incat Crowther is a leading global digital shipbuilder that has a proven track record of designing and delivering bespoke passenger ferries for mass transit operators around the world. Incat Crowther, together with AFAI Southern Shipyard, was selected from a competitive tender for the contract. The tender process placed strong weighting on track record and technical capability.”
He says the main considerations in designing the ferries were the regulatory requirements related to the high passenger numbers on the busy route and the operator’s performance requirements. “The vessels can transport up to 500 passengers in safety and comfort,” Mr Mackay points out.
The low-draft vessel features Incat Crowther’s latest-generation hull form providing significant improvements on previous-generation vessels. Xin Ming Xhu VIII can reach a top speed of 30 knots and maintain an operational speed of 27 knots, comfortably exceeding Sun Ferry’s minimum requirements.
Mr Mackay explains, “The new low-draft vessels feature Incat Crowther’s latest generation hull form which improves performance across a range of load conditions. The vessels have also been designed to provide an elevated customer experience, including spacious seating, dedicated mobility spaces and ample storage. Boarding efficiency has been optimised via three locations on both the port and starboard sides of the main deck.”
Incat Crowther’s generation IV hull form improves hydrodynamic efficiency by reducing the wave making drag. Additionally, the optimised volume distribution reduces pitching motions and improves passenger comfort.
The Australia-based ship designer conducted extensive computational fluid dynamics analysis on the hull to improve the vessel’s performance across a range of loading conditions.
Mr Mackay says, “With 45 years of experience in ferry design, Incat Crowther has leaned on this expertise and experience to ensure this vessel, and the technology underpinning it, is specifically tailored to Sun Ferry’s operational requirements.”
Energy efficiency and environmentally friendly features are emphasised. The vessels have 140 solar panels on the roof providing 14 kW of onboard power. The solar panels feed into the vessel’s DC circuitry to help power inhouse equipment.
Mr Mackay adds, “In addition, the lightweight design of the ferries, modest engine size and rating, all contribute to enhancing energy efficiency.”
Designed to provide an elevated customer experience, Xin Ming Xhu VIII’s air-conditioned main deck features spacious seating for 299 passengers including six wheelchair spaces and two dedicated areas for customers travelling with pets. It also caters to parents, with stroller storage areas and private change table facilities.
In addition, there is a storage space for walking frames and mobility aids for passengers with restricted mobility. Large internal luggage storage spaces have been incorporated into the design of the main deck, including a protected 7-m2 cargo area.
Boarding efficiency has been optimised via three locations on both the port and starboard sides of the main deck, while large internal and external staircases lead to the upper deck which can accommodate an additional 201 passengers. The air-conditioned upper deck also hosts a large, elevated wheelhouse which provides crew with a 360° view.
The second tranche of vessels in the Sun Ferry fleet is now under construction with the final vessel expected to be delivered by the end of 2025.
Mr Mackay sums up, “The delivery of this vessel is the culmination of a collaborative design and construction process between our team of naval architects and the teams at Sun Ferry and AFAI Southern Shipyard.
In another sign of Sun Ferry’s commitment to sustainability, the company has commissioned Incat Crowther and AFAI Southern Shipyard to design and construct a hybrid 35-m passenger ferry for its fleet.
Elsewhere, Singapore’s Majestic Fast Ferry Pte Ltd has commissioned Incat Crowther to design a second-generation 39-m passenger ferry as the basis of its future fleet. Incat Crowther’s range with PT Cahaya Samudra covers four vessel lengths: 29-m, 32-m, 39-m and 42-m. All four designs are in their second generation, having proven themselves in service worldwide.
Eleven of Majestic’s first-generation Incat Crowther/PT Cahaya Samudra vessels have been sold to operators in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the South Pacific and have been replaced in service by second-generation vessels.
The order brings the number of second-generation 39-m vessels to 13 and comes in addition to three second-generation 42-m vessels launched less than 12 months ago.
“The new low-draft vessels feature Incat Crowther’s latest generation hull form which improves performance across a range of load conditions.”
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