Marine evacuation system tested on world's largest electric ferry

The MES systems were supplied by fellow Tasmanian company Liferaft Systems Australia (LSA).

The deployment, on 11 February, included three 22-m inflatable evacuation slides, each connected to a 128-person open reversible liferaft, alongside an additional linked liferaft. Once fully equipped, the world’s largest battery-electric ferry will feature six MES units and 13 linked liferafts, providing a total liferaft capacity of 2,432 people.

Incat chairman Robert Clifford said, “Safety is fundamental to every vessel we build at Incat. The successful deployment of the marine evacuation system on Hull 096 demonstrates the depth of engineering, planning and collaboration required to deliver vessels of this scale.”

The deployment forms part of an extensive testing and commissioning programme that will continue in the lead-up to the vessel’s delivery to South America.

Elsewhere, LSA has been chosen to supply MES for BC Ferries’ four new major vessel-class ferries, under construction at China Merchants Industry Weihai’s (CMI Weihai) shipyard.

LSA will supply each vessel with four 22-m MES consisting of a 22-m inflatable side with a 100-person SOLAS liferaft attached. Twenty-two 100-person SOLAS liferafts will be linked to the MES, providing a total liferaft capacity per vessel of 2,600 persons. 

“The safety of our customers and crew is our number one priority,” said BC Ferries head of fleet renewal Ed Hooper.

“Liferaft Systems Australia is an established global supplier whose marine evacuation systems have been in service on BC Ferries vessels for more than two decades. Theirs is a proven system that can be maintained right here in British Columbia and also meets stringent international maritime safety standards, supports reliability, crew training consistency, and operational readiness as we introduce the new major vessels.”

LSA managing director Mike Grainger said, “This is a significant contract for LSA, and was concluded after substantial technical information was provided to the shipbuilder and the ferry owners. The contract was signed with Chinese equipment supplier Leading Group, based in Shanghai, who will represent LSA for the duration of the contract with CMI Weihai.”

BC Ferries is one of LSA’s long-term customers, after the company installed the operator’s first LSA MES 21 years ago.

The contract delivery of the MES for the first ship is scheduled for Q1 2028.