2021-01-14
Remote Canadian island community upgrades infrastructure with Voith Schneider Propeller order
- A new double-ended ferry (DEF) is being constructed to serve the residents of Christian Island, Ontario, Canada.
- The DEF will be driven and controlled by two Voith Schneider Propeller (VSP) units.
- A third size-18 VSP was also ordered by the Beausoleil First Nation (BFN) as a backup to reduce service downtime for this vital ferry connection.
Christian Island is located in Canada in Lake Huron’s Georgian Bay. Beausoleil First Nation (BFN) will be the owner and operator of the new ferry.
“To meet the needs of BFN, Voith worked very closely with the shipyard and designer during the project phase,” said Ivo Beu, Director of Sales, Marine Business Americas, Voith Turbo.The ferry has a diesel-electric power plant, which means the VSPs are directly driven by an e-motor. The ferry design and VSP configuration take into account the most effective way to operate a vessel under many different environmental conditions – namely cold, icy conditions.
The project scope includes two size-18 VSP units, which were reinforced for operation in icy water during the late autumn and early spring, and the Voith electronic control system, which is used for safe navigation of the ferry. The ferry itself will use two VSP units, with the third held by BFN in case of a grounding, accident or maintenance issue. The ferry has been designed so that a VSP can be exchanged while the vessel is still afloat, which saves cost and time during the exchange procedure.
The DEF will be constructed at Fraser Shipyards Inc. in Superior, Wisconsin, on Lake Superior, and then will be transported to the Georgian Bay community on Lake Huron after commissioning.
About the company
The Voith Group is a global technology company. With its wide range of plants, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets for energy, oil and gas, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, Voith today has more than 20,000 employees and earns 4.2 billion euros in sales. It has locations in over 60 countries and is one of Europe’s larger family-owned companies.
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The Group Division Voith Turbo is part of the Voith Group and a specialist for intelligent drive technology, systems as well as tailor-made services. With its innovative and smart products, Voith offers highest efficiency and reliability. Customers from highly diverse industries such as oil and gas, energy, mining and mechanical engineering, ship technology, rail and commercial vehicles rely on the advanced technologies and digital applications of Voith.
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