New 350-Ton Passenger Ferry Features Racal Electronics, Caterpillar Propulsion
The new passenger and cargo ferry, Oileain Arann, built by McTay's of Merseyside and delivered to O'Brien Shipping in December 1992, features a complete electronics fit from Racal Marine Ireland, Ltd.
The vessel, which will replace the Naomh Eanna on the 30-mile route between Galway and the Aran Islands, is powered by two Caterpillar, 1,445 hp engines, and is fitted with a bowthruster and high-lift rudders.
A Racal-Decca Bridge Master primary radar heads a comprehensive electronics package of 17 different products from a variety of manufacturers. The equipment has been supplied and installed by Racal Marine Ireland and covers all aspects of the vessel's operations, from navigation and communication to passenger entertainment.
A sampling of the other electronics onboard includes: Icom MR40 secondary radar and VP21 color video plotter; Trimble GPS Navigator; Sailor RT2048 VHF radiotelephones; Marcom 6000 handheld VHF's; Skanti TRP 7000 HF radiotelephone; JMC echosounder; Robertson RGC50 gyro compass and AP45 autopilot; Simrad 2182 watch receiver; ABB Nera public address system and 120-watt, four-track passenger entertainment stereo system; and Motorola cellphone system for passenger use.
The 130-foot ferry can carry 200 passengers in two main areas, as well as 140 tons of cargo in its single hold, while offering additional facilities for vehicle transport and refrigerated goods. The Oileain Arann has an 11-ton hydraulic fixed-jib deck crane. The boat also has cattle pens on deck which are capable of accommodating up to 60 animals. Norway's Kvaerner Receives $29.9 Million Cypriot Ship Order Norway's Kvaerner A/S reported that its Warnemunde, Germanybased shipyard of Kvaerner Warnow Werft GmbH, received an order valued at 200 million Norwegian Kroner ($29,880,000) to build a containership for an unnamed Cypriot shipping company.
Construction of the 19,000-dwt vessel will begin in August 1993 and is scheduled for completion in June 1994.
Kvaerner's Warnemunde yard specializes in building container vessels of this type. The former stateowned shipyard has a capacity fo six containerships a year and currently has orders for 11, according to the Norwegian group.
