In the Shipyard
New Ships, Boats and Designs


New Bunkering Service Debuts in Canadian Port
The Port of Prince Rupert welcomed the startup of Wolverine Terminals’ marine bunkering service for deep sea shipping, adding a key logistical capability to this strategic deepwater port on the west coast of Canada. Using a pair of barges designed by Robert Allan Ltd., Wolverine Terminals can deliver a wide range of fuels to suit the needs of vessels calling at the port, including marine diesel, heavy, intermediate, and other blends to individual customer specifications.
The Wolverine Terminals fleet is composed of a transloading barge and a fuel delivery (lightering) barge. Wolverine Spirit 1, the 142-m long transloading barge, has been custom-designed to accept up to 24 rail tank-cars on deck. Combined with a high-performance ballasting system and Wolverine’s dedicated locomotive, this barge can onboard a full set of railcars during a single tide. Once loaded and secured, the Transloading Barge is moved using tugs from the loading ramp to the Wolverine Terminals project site, where once moored, the railcars can be drained into the barge’s hull tanks, which have a combined capacity of nearly 80,000 barrels of oil products.
Wolverine Spirit 2, the 78-m long lightering barge, receives fuels from the Transloading Barge, and is towed to client vessels in harbor where it delivers fuel to their individual requirements. With a capacity of approximately 30,000 barrels of products, this barge can efficiently deliver fuels to ocean-going vessels at up to 450 cu. m./hr. Both barges are classed with Lloyds Register.

Electric Ferries, Assembled on Site Delivered in Italy
Stralsunder Ostseestaal GmbH & Co. KG and its Ampereship business unit delivered two electric solar ferries to Lago d'Iseo near Bergamo in northern Italy as planned. The client was the responsible local authority of the operator Navigazione Lago d'Iseo, and the new vessels are the first fully electric ferries in Italy. Measuring 25 x 6.6m, the Iseo ferries each have two electric drives with 100 kW output.
Electricity is supplied by two battery banks with a total capacity of around 750 kWh. These are charged by shore power and by solar modules during the journey - 75 percent of the roof area of the solar deck is covered with PV modules. The lightweight catamarans for 140 passengers each have been optimized for a speed of 17 km/h, but can reach up to 19 km/h at top speed.
They were built on the Ostseestaal site in Stralsund under the technical management of Ampereship, which is integrating its own propulsion, automation and energy management systems into the newbuilds. A unique aspect of the Iseo project is that Ampereship delivered the ships to the site in sections and assembled them on site, eliminating transport problems and the need for a local shipyard. It took around four weeks to assemble each ferry on the shores of Lake Iseo before they were able to set off on test runs and are now already in operation.

New LNG Carrier Elisa Ardea Delivered to EDF
Late last year the liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier Elisa Ardea was delivered. Owned by France LNG Shipping, a joint venture between NYK and Geogas LNG, and under a long-term charter contract with EDF LNG Shipping. The vessel was built at Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries.
Elisa Ardea will be chartered to the EDF Group long-term (up to 20 years, including extension options) and will be engaged in LNG transportation under the ship management of Gazocean, a French ship-management company.
Elisa Ardea is propelled by dual-fuel slow-speed diesel engines manufactured by WinGD and features an advanced Turbo-Brayton refrigeration system developed by Air Liquide, which efficiently uses surplus boil-off gas. The 174,000-cu. m. capacity membrane-type tank, designed by GTT, is constructed using high-performance insulating materials that reduce the vaporization rate.

ProZero Delivers Passenger Vessel to Norway
ProZero delivered a 15m ProZero passenger vessel to Metro-Opus, a prominent provider of high-speed ferry services in Norway. After rigorous testing and certification processes, the 15-m passenger vessel has been approved for operations by the Norwegian Maritime Authority.
The vessel was formally handed over to Metro-Opus Project Manager Rasmus Husby Larsen by Jakob Frost, co-owner of the shipyard. The new boat is certified to accommodate 12 passengers, including wheelchair spaces, as well as cargo and crew. The vessel's innovative hull design ensures low hydrodynamic resistance for enhanced fuel efficiency and exceptional stability in challenging weather conditions.

Sanmar Launches Electric Tugboat for SAAM Towage
Sanmar ended 2024 with the launch of the first fully electric tugboat to operate in Latin America.
Ordered by SAAM Towage, the new tug is based on the ElectRA 2500SX design from naval architects Robert Allan Ltd, and is the eighth fully electric tug Sanmar has built. The tug built for SAAM Towage measures 25.4 x 12.86m with a draft of 5.5m, and with a installed battery capacity 3,616 kWh can achieve a bollard pull ahead of at least 70 tons and a speed of 11 knots. ElectRA tugs, which are already being operated in North America and Europe, are available in a range of sizes (19-28m) and power outputs (40-85 TBP).

Gladding-Hearn Delivers First CTV
Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, has delivered its first crew transfer vessel (CTV) to Patriot Offshore Maritime Services. This capable vessel will operate year-round, transporting 24 offshore workers and equipment to support the construction and O&M phases of USEC offshore wind projects. The resiliently-mounted superstructure is located aft of midship with port and starboard side decks and working/cargo decks fore and aft. The large foredeck is set up to carry two 20 foot ISO containers and to transfer the offshore workers over the bow. To facilitate wind-turbine landings, the bow is outfitted with a resiliently-mounted RG Seasight fendering system. On the bow is a 14.3 t-m, hydraulic knuckle boom crane with an 8.1-meter reach. The wheelhouse, with windows on all sides for nearly 360-degree visibility, is located on the second deck and accessible by interior stairs and an aft exterior ladder. It includes three shock-mitigating helm seats.

Hydrogen-Powered River Vessel Launched
The Sogestran Group launched the ZULU 06, France's first hydrogen-powered river vessel, on the Seine in Paris. This first-of-its-kind hydrogen propulsion system in the French market represents a step forward in cargo transport at European waterways, demonstrating the potential for clean energy to revolutionize logistics. The ZULU 06 is developed through the EU-funded FLAGSHIPS project, which has spent six years pushing the boundaries of zero-emission waterborne transport. Stretching 55 meters in length, with a cargo capacity of 400 tons, the ZULU 06 is a purpose-built solution. The vessel, designed by LMG Marin, has a power generation system supplied by ABB Marine & Ports and two 200 kW hydrogen fuel cells delivered by Ballard. 300 kg of compressed hydrogen enables seven days of operational autonomy; an efficient and eco-friendly distribution in urban settings.

Bisso Towboat Christens ASD Tractor Tug
Bisso Towboat Company christened the M/V Mr. Brian on December 5, 2024, on the Mississippi River while docked at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. The Mr. Brian is named after Brian Cyprowski, who is Bisso Towboat’s VP of Operations and a member of the company's executive team. Brian has been with the company for 37 years. With the addition of the Mr. Brian, Bisso is the only ship-assist company on the River with a daily operating fleet of 100% ASD Tractor Tugs. The Mr. Brian will have a crew complement of four.

ESG Delivers Long Island Ferry
Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) delivered the LONG ISLAND, a new passenger and auto ferry, to the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Company, a subsidiary of McAllister Towing. The vessel is designed to provide seamless transportation between Bridgeport, CT, and Port Jefferson, NY. The addition of the 302-foot LONG ISLAND will enable a consistent three-vessel schedule during peak travel periods, enhancing the capacity and reliability of service across Long Island Sound.