Bureau Veritas Classes New Urban Electric Ferries in Portugal

 Bureau Veritas (BV), a world leader in testing, inspection, and certification (TIC), has won a contract for the classification of 10 electric ferries on behalf of the Portuguese river passenger operator, Transtejo. The vessels are currently under construction by Gondán Shipyard (Spain) and will come into service between 2022 and 2024. 

The 10 new sister vessels, which will be 100% electrical and have a capacity of 540 passengers each, will provide a public transport service on the Tagus River, between Lisbon city centre and three different cities on the southern shore of the river. Passengers will have access to two saloons. The main saloon will have four side doors and will be equipped with four rotating ramps (two on each side). The bridge will provide a 360º view. 

The 40m-long GRP ferries will be powered by an all-electric system and will be based on a catamaran-type hull optimized to make the most of the 2MWh batteries. ABB’s Onboard DC Grid™ power distribution system will ensure an optimal delivery of the battery output to the ferry’s subsystems. The charging system will be centrally located on the vessels, allowing charging on both port and starboard from towers located on the terminal’s floating pontoons. The vessels’ energy storage systems (ESS) are designed for a complete round trip on the longest planned route (using between 20-90% of maximum capacity). In daytime, the vessels will use fast charging (3-4 MW), while slow charging (0.15-0.2 MW) will be used during the night. 

In addition, the ferries will receive BV Comf-Noise 3 and Comf-Vib 3 notations, reflecting minimised levels of noise and vibration for passenger comfort. The vessels will also receive the following Bureau Veritas notations: Passenger Vessel, Battery System, C (composites) and AUT-UMS (automated vessel), which provide a tailor-made framework addressing the requirements of these passenger ferries. 

Mathieu Philippe, Commercial Director at Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, commented: “These ferries are the perfect illustration of demand for new urban transportation. Zero-emission propulsion is available today for sustainable and fast passenger ferry transport. We are proud to support this “business to business to society” project, which demonstrates our technical expertise as well as our commitment to shaping a better world.”

Bureau Veritas provides a range of rules relating to inland navigation covering vessels, floating structures, and harbour equipment. Its experience, technical knowledge, and global presence make the BV Group a valuable partner to both vessel owners and flag authorities. A growing number of countries require classification for ships operating on inland waterways and Bureau Veritas has kept pace with demand, opening offices in main inland waterway hubs around the world. BV also provides support to flag state authorities to help develop national requirements in cases where no regulations have yet been implemented.