UK: SES to Provide Navigation Equipment for First Hybrid Ferries

Ships Electronic Services (SES), a leading supplier of marine electronics equipment, has announced that the company has been awarded a £375,000 contract to supply all the navigation and communications equipment for two new Hybrid Ferries building at Ferguson Shipbuilders, Port Glasgow for Caledonian Marine Assets.

These will be the world’s first hybrid diesel electric Ro Ro vehicle and passenger ferries to enter service and will be operating the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service from spring 2013. The green technology will be incorporated throughout the ships, supplying a minimum of 20% of the energy consumed on board.

SES has a long standing relationship with Fergusons, supplying and installing electronic and communication equipment for a number of the yards projects. Richard Dean, Managing Director of Ferguson Shipbuilders commented, “These are important vessels for the yard and show Scottish ship building at the forefront of green technology, substantially reducing fuel usage and emissions. We are delighted to be working once again with SES who have provided exceptional service to the yard over the years.”

Director of SES, Colin Anderson based at the company’s Grangemouth offices, said “We are proud to be associated with Fergusons and this world first. This is the latest in a line of contracts won by us for major commercial projects. We represent some of the industry’s largest electronic manufacturers, providing us with the ability to specify exactly what our customers require to create a reliable and cost effective electronics and communications solution. We also have service centres around the UK coastline, a 24 hour helpline and engineers capable of travelling globally to provide our customers with the best service wherever they operate.”

SES will be fitting a full specification of electronics on the hybrid ferries including Furuno Radars and Transas ECDIS. A complex double ended heading system from Raytheon Anschuetz will be installed enabling all the headings to the AIS, ECDIS and Autopilot to be changed 180 degrees, along with all the navigation lights, at the touch of a single switch. They will also be supplying the Autopilot system which utilises their extensive interfacing knowledge with the Voith Schneider drive units.

SES will be exhibiting at the Seawork Exhibition in Southampton on stand B7

[mappress]

Source: SES, May 22, 2012