Schottel to provide propulsion units for Canadian ferries

Schottel is to supply a pair of twin propellers for each of four 81m-long RoRo ferries under construction at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania for Canadian operator BC Ferries. The vessels will be built to Damen’s Road Ferry 8117 E3 design with capacity for 300 passengers and 47 vehicles.

Two 950-kW electric motors on each ship will drive STP 340 azimuthing thrusters. A propeller diameter of 1.85m will give the ferries a speed of about 14 knots. The benefits of the company’s twin propeller set-up include a low risk of cavitation and an increase in tip clearance. These features both contribute to less underwater noise and lower vibration levels.

The steerable propellers are also well-suited to quiet vessels or applications where space is limited. Schottel also claims improved propulsive efficiency and lower fuel consumption compared with single propeller arrangements.