Italian Shipbuilder Completes First LNG Ferry to Operate in Canada

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has successfully completed LNG sea trials for F.A. Gaunthier, its latest generation LNG ferry, which was built in its shipyard in Castellammare di Stabia (Naples). The delivery to Société des traversiers du Québec (STQ), a Québec crown corporation that operates in maritime passenger and vehicles transport, will take place when the ferry arrives in Canada. The vessel is the first LNG powered ferry ever built in Italy and the first of its kind to enter into service in North America.

The ship provides a major reduction in emissions of CO2, NOx (nitrogen oxides), and SOx (sulphur oxides) to near zero levels. The ship, which is equipped with a unique integrated diesel electric propulsion system, has four dual fuel diesel power generators installed that can run on either LNG or marine diesel oil (MDO). This propulsion system meets the ecological requirements of the ECA areas.

The 435 foot long and 72 foot wide ship will be able to reach a maximum service speed of 20 knots and will carry 800 passengers and 180 vehicles. The ferry will be used in the Province of Québec on the Matane–Baie-Comeau–Godbout route, which, with 1,600 sailings per year, provides transport for more than 180,000 passengers and over 85,000 vehicles, allowing them to reach the opposite side of the river in a two-hour navigation, instead of a 10-hour drive.