Wärtsilä equipped Canadian ferry will have minimal environmental impact

18 August 2018 - A new 92 metre long ferry built for the Canadian operator Société des traversiers du Québec (STQ), and fitted with a broad scope of Wärtsilä solutions, has been delivered. The final commissioning of the vessel took place at the Chantier Davie Canada shipyard in June 2018. The MV Armand-Imbeau II will operate on LNG fuel, and Wärtsilä’s vast experience and capabilities in delivering a fully integrated system comprising the dual-fuel engines, the fuel storage, control and supply system, and extended project management, was the key factor in the award of the contract. By operating the vessel on clean burning LNG fuel, STQ - Québec Province ferries operator - will minimise the environmental impact of its operations.

The decision is also in line with the Québec’s Maritime Strategy, which seeks to protect the integrity of the province’s river and marine ecosystem. “Once again, Wärtsilä’s unique ability to act as a single-source provider of products, automated systems, and integrated solutions delivers real value to both the owners and the shipyard. The depth of our experience in providing LNG solutions is unmatched in the marine industry, and our advanced technologies are designed to overcome the operational cost and regulatory compliance challenges that operators face today,” says Wilco van der Linden, General Manager, Cruise & Ferries, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions.

“At the Société des traversiers du Québec we are committed to protecting the marine environment in which we operate. For this reason, we were the first ferry operator in Canada to welcome a LNG fueled ferry in 2015, and following this current delivery, we still have a third LNG ferry on order. All of them feature Wärtsilä equipment. Apart from their LNG systems, their technology allows us to operate year round, despite the ice conditions,” 

says François Bertrand, interim CEO of STQ.

“This delivery marks a shipbuilding milestone as it is the first LNG fueled ferry ever built in North America. We are very proud to have succeeded with this project, and we thank Wärtsilä for its excellent support in making it possible,” 

says Jared Newcombe, Chief Executive Officer, Chantier Davie Canada Inc. The full scope of Wärtsilä’s supply comprises four Wärtsilä 20DF dual-fuel engines, the Wärtsilä LNGPac fuel storage, control and supply system, an Integrated Automation System (IAS), the Power Management System (PMS), the electric drive system, the Wärtsilä communication and control center, on-site management and project integration engineering.

The ferry will operate on the Saguenay river on the Tadoussac–Baie-Sainte-Catherine route. It is capable of carrying more than 430 passengers and 110 cars or 16 tractor units. Wärtsilä has earlier supplied the dual-fuel engines and LNGPac system for MV F.-A.-Gauthier, the first LNG fueled ferry owned by STQ. It was built in Italy and delivered in 2015.

The technology group Wärtsilä is at the forefront of harnessing the changes taking place in the shipping industry to deliver high efficiency, safety, and environmental sustainability for its customers. By orchestrating these developments through the use of high levels of connectivity and digitalisation, Wärtsilä intends to lead the industry’s transformation towards a Smart Marine Ecosystem.