Trinity Delivers Ferry To North Carolina DOT
arine Group delivered the passenger/ vehicle ferry Cedar Island to the North Carolina State Department of Transportation, Ferry Division. The new ferry can carry 300 passengers and 50 vehicles at a top speed of 14.5 knots and a cruising speed of 11.5 knots. It is operating out of Cedar Island, N.C., serving Ocracoke Island, N.C. The Cedar Island is 220.5 ft. (67 m) long with a 50-ft. (15-m) beam. It features bow and stern loading and unloading, fore and aft pilothouses, extended bridgeways, air conditioned interior seating, covered outdoor seating, facilities for handicapped passengers, a souvenir shop in t h e passenger lounge and special accent striping in the colors of East Carolina University.
Cedar Island is powered by a pair of Caterpillar 3508 diesel engines developing805 hp each at 1,300 rpm, driving 60-in. diameter Michigan Wheel bronze propellers through Twin Disc MG540 reverse/reduction gears. Electrical power is provided by two Caterpillar 3304 diesel generators developing 105 kW each.
An Omnithruster HT600 bowthruster driven by a Caterpillar 3306 diesel engine aids maneuverability, and s t e e r i n g is provided by a Matthews Marine Systems hydraulic system.
The ferry has a remote "walkaround" control box with controls for the engines and rudders on a 30-ft. (9-m) cord for use on either bridgeway. The portable system eliminates the need for duplicate fixed controls on both bridgeways. A partial list of navigation and communications equipment includes two Furuno radars, a Ritchie compass, Furuno depthsounder, a Northstar combination GPS/Loran navigation system, and two ICOM radios.
Cedar Island can carry 8,000 gallons of fuel, 75 gallons of oil and 4,000 gallons of potable water. The vessel is the fourth ferry built for the state of North Carolina by Trinity Marine shipyards.
Trinity has also built ferries for the states of Alaska, Louisiana, Michigan, New York, Texas, Virginia and Washington.
The company has built ferries for operations in the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Panama and the West Indies.
