Damen Shipyards Group has signed a contract with Société de Transport Lagunaire (STL) to build sixteen shallow-draft passenger ferries for the Ivory Coast.
The contract is part of a presidential plan that strives to reduce urban congestion and greenhouse gas emissions in the city Abidjan. As Abidjan is located around the 100-km long Ébrié Lagoon on the west coast of Africa, water-based transport is vital. Due to rapid population growth and the deterioration of existing ferry services, traffic congestion is a major problem in the city.
1-Metre Water Draught
Damen has designed the 18-metre vessels according to the standards of the International Association of Classification Societies. Each powered by two Volvo D5 engines, the ferries will be able to transport up to 130 passengers at speeds of 10 knots. The vessels have an air draught of 4 metres and a 1-metre water draught.
Construction of all the ferries will take place at Damen Shipyards Koźle in Poland. The first four ferries will be delivered in January 2017 – the rest will be delivered four at a time, every eight weeks, in three batches thereafter.
Picture: Damen Fast Ferry 1806 Agboville.
