seatec - Finnish marine technology review 1/2010 | Page 38

from the very start. This approach has succeeded to secure the yard’s competitiveness and long-term viability. Photo: HADAG public transport – on inland waterways One of SSB’s most successful references is ‘Typ 2000’, a passenger ferry design created by HADAG Seetouristik und Fährdienst AG back in the 1990s for operation on waterborne public transport services in Hamburg Harbour. The first unit of this successful series, the M/V “St. Pauli”, was delivered to HADAG in July 1997. Since then, eleven sister vessels have followed, including ultimately the M/V “Harburg” in November 2009. With one exception, all units of the series were built at Grube Werft and subsequently SSB. M/V ”Harburg, the latest ’Typ 2000’ ferry delivered by SSB Spezialschiffbau Oortkaten to HADAG last November. While many technical details were improved, the main design characteristics its new ferries, HADAG has been able to SSB – cater for the market of smaller com- of ‘Typ 2000’ have remained unchanged: increase the number of passengers trans- muter ferries. each of the 29.9 m long ships carries up ported on its Hamburg Harbour ferry serv- Another yard, Schiffs- und Yachtwerft to 250 passengers for whom 124 seats ices from just over 2.2 million back in 1997 Dresden GmbH, has recently joined the are provided in an attractive salon and an- to about 6.8 million in 2008. market as well by constructing two 70 me- other 60 on the open deck. All units of In July 2007, SSB Spezialschiffbau tres long commuter ferries carrying up to ‘Typ 2000’ are operated by a single crew Oortkaten GmbH delivered a commuter 1,550 passengers and 60 cars for Mom- member; after arrival alongside a landing ferry similar to the ‘Type 2000’ design to basa-based Kenya Ferry Services Ltd. M/V stage the access gangway is hydraulically Schlepp- und Fährgesellschaft Kiel mbH “Likoni” and “Kwale”, which will trade lowered and during disembarkation/em- (SFK) for operation on Kiel Fjord. The 24.82 on routes in the Mombasa metropolis re- barkation monitored by means of a CCTV metres long M/V “Schwentine” operates gion, constitute more proof of the Ger- system. on a 15-minute-route linking two parts of man shipbuilding industry’s international the city of Kiel, carrying 200 passengers at competitiveness. SSB Spezialschiffbau Oortkaten GmbH has obtained its ‘Typ 2000’ newbuild- a speed of 12 knots. The industry association VSM has re- ing contracts in sharp competition with The ship, which is equipped with cently proposed that a ‘ferry scrappage bo- other yards (as many as 19 bids were re- two Volvo D7 CTA main engines and two nus scheme’ for ageing European coastal ceived for the series’ tenth ship) not on- Schottel SRP 110 thrusters, has likewise ferries should be implemented to support ly as a result of attractive pricing, but also succeeded in boosting the attractiveness the shipbuilding industry in tackling the thanks to the outstanding quality and re- of waterborne public transport and con- economic crisis. It is estimated that near- liability of the units delivered so far. firms that SSB’s products are suitable for ly a third of the respective tonnage trad- use beyond Hamburg. ing in Europe is outdated and due for re- Service intervals are quite long; the placement. first extensive shipyard inspection of a ‘Typ 2000’ vessel is usually required only five EUROPE’S PASSENGER years (corresponding to 25,000 operation SHIPBUILDING EXPERTS car scrap bonus scheme – an initiative hours) after delivery. This excellent record Cruise ships and ferries of all sizes will def- launched by the German government in is achieved in spite of tough operation- initely constitute a core business of Ger- order to stimulate car sales – VSM sug- al demands caused by very frequent ma- man yards in future. While Flensburger gested that a support scheme could be noeuvring; depending on their route ‘Typ Schiffbau-Gesellschaft and Meyer Werft developed to encourage the replacement 2000’ ferries may call landing stages in in- are among the world market leaders for of old ferries with new efficient and eco- tervals as short as five minutes. large cruise vessels, RoPax and RoRo ves- friendly units. ■ sels, other ventures – including Sietas and FREDERIK NAUMANN Mainly thanks to the attractiveness of 36 seatec 1/2010 Drawing a comparison to last year’s