Sailing The Saguenay On LNG

A new 92 m ferry built for the Canadian operator Société des traversiers du Québec (STQ) and fitted with a broad scope of Wärtsilä systems, has been delivered and commissioned.

The MV Armand-Imbeau II will operate on liquefied natural gas (LNG). Wärtsilä supplied an integrated system comprising the dual-fuel engines, the fuel storage, control and supply system. By operating the vessel on LNG, STQ expects to minimize the environmental impact of the vessel’s operations. The decision is also in line with the Québec’s Maritime Strategy, which seeks to protect the integrity of the province’s river and marine ecosystem.

“At the Société des traversiers du Québec we are committed to protecting the marine environment in which we operate,” said François Bertrand, interim CEO of STQ. “For this reason, we were the first ferry operator in Canada to welcome an LNG-fueled ferry in 2015, and following this current delivery, we still have a third LNG ferry on order. All of them feature Wärtsilä equipment. Apart from their LNG systems, their technology allows us to operate year-round, despite the ice conditions.”

The full scope of Wärtsilä’s supply comprises four Wärtsilä 20DF dual-fuel engines, the Wärtsilä LNGPac fuel storage, control and supply system, an Integrated Automation System (IAS), the Power Management System (PMS), the electric drive system, the Wärtsilä communication and control center, on-site management and project integration engineering.

Wärtsilä has earlier supplied the dual-fuel engines and LNGPac system for MV F.-A.-Gauthier, the first LNG fueled ferry owned by STQ. It was built in Italy and delivered in 2015.

“Once again, Wärtsilä’s unique ability to act as a single-source provider of products, automated systems, and integrated solutions delivers real value to both the owners and the shipyard,” said Wilco van der Linden, general manager, Cruise & Ferries, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions. “The depth of our experience in providing LNG solutions is unmatched in the marine industry and our advanced technologies are designed to overcome the operational cost and regulatory compliance challenges that operators face today.”

The ferry will operate on the Saguenay river on the Tadoussac–Baie-Sainte-Catherine route. It is capable of carrying more than 430 passengers and 110 cars or 16 tractor units.