St. Pierre et Miquelon Selects Damen for Two Fast Ferries
In 2015 Collectivité de Saint Pierre et Miquelon launched a tender for two new Mixt Ferries to operate between the two islands and Fortune (Canada). The contract was awarded to the Damen Shipyards Group and the project was launched on 11 March at an event in Paris.
In close cooperation with the client, Damen designed the Fast RoPax 5510, 55 m long, 11 m wide, with a capacity for 192 passengers and crew, 3 trucks or 18 cars, motorcycles and cargo. Collectivité de Saint Pierre et Miquelon is a new customer for Damen. The client required full redundancy for the vessels; the French islands being situated some 25 miles from Fortune. The high speed capability of the RoPax5510 ensures a crossing time of little over one hour.
A representative of the Collectivité said, “The construction of the ferries for the Collectivité has been subject to a European tendering procedure. Damen has been chosen for a number of reasons, including the technical capacity to meet the requirements of the Collectivité. These consist of building capacity, compliance with the specifications, understanding of the project, and capability to execute the mission. Additionally, Damen’s financial capacity makes possible the completion of such deal along with the offering of all necessary warranties.”
Reinier van Herel, Damen’s Regional Director France, comments, “This design combines a passenger ferry and a fast supply boat. The vessels have the renowned Damen Axe Bow. This first of the ‘5510 Series’ is actually based on more than 150 Axe Bow vessels – a proven design – but it has been lengthened and widened for cargo and cars. This pioneering design is a result of a very close cooperation between Damen’s Ferry and High-Speed Craft departments, as well as with the client.”
It is expected that the arrival of the ferries will make the islands much more accessible, encouraging, amongst other things, an increased level of tourism in the region. The sister vessels will be operated by Régie des Transport Maritimes. They will sail to Saint Pierre et Miquelon under their own keel from Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania.
The ferries will be customised to withstand the severe weather conditions common to the area and will be built under the regulations of Marine Marchande and registered under the French Flag State. Additionally, given the pristine environment in which the ferries will operate, it was important that emissions be minimised. The new ferries are IMO, EPA, MARPOL and Transport Canada compliant. The vessels will be delivered at the end of 2017.