MacGREGOR supplies cargo access solutions for new Dover-Calais duo

04.12.2008

P&O’s two new 49,000gt vehicle/passenger ferries will feature cargo access outfits from MacGREGOR, enabling efficient turnaround times in their UK and French ports

In September, Cargotec’s MacGREGOR business area has won the order to supply RoRo outfits onboard P&O’s two new 49,000gt cross-Channel ferries. The 210m vehicle- and passenger-carrying vessels are scheduled for delivery from STX Europe’s Rauma facility, in 2010 and 2011 respectively and will serve the operator’s Dover, UK to Calais, France route.

“The high-capacity, high turnaround cross-channel services that P&O provide mean that the company’s vessels require a highly-efficient vehicle access solution,” says Göran Hugon, sales manager for MacGREGOR’s RoRo business line. “MacGREGOR’s vehicle access design focuses on these factors and ensures efficient port turnaround times.”

The 2,000-passenger ferries will have capacity to carry around 180 freight vehicles and up to 195 tourist vehicles over 2,700 lane metres of vehicle space. Access to this space is provided by an outfit of MacGREGOR RoRo equipment comprising:

- a bow door (located on deck three): when open, the door allows vehicle access to the main deck and is arranged in two sections, each hinged at the outboard vertical side; each door leaf opens outwards to achieve the required clear opening. The doors are hydraulically-driven and operated from a control panel on deck three located aft of the inner bow door, which shares the same control panel.
- a side-hinged inner bow door: this weathertight door is located on the main deck at the aft end of the collision bulkhead area; when open, it allows vehicle traffic access to the main deck.
- a top-hinged upper front door.
- a horizontal sliding stern door (located on deck three): the door is designed to open transversally and is driven in or out of stowage using two hydraulic motors; the door rolls on its flanged wheels on a rail at the bottom and is guided at the top by steel pads. The door blades can be operated individually if required.
- a side-hinged lift cover: this comprises one panel arranged above the trailer lift for access down to the lower hold; the lift cover is hydraulically-operated and watertight when in the closed position.
- a trailer lift: the lifting platform is arranged on the port side and operates between the main deck and a recess on deck two; it consists of a single section operated by a jiggerwinch and wire rope.
- two bottom-hinged passenger doors: these are located on deck seven and installed one on each side; the door has preventer stays to support the load of the passenger gangway in the open position.
- a pair of top-hinged rampway doors: these are located at the upper end of the rampways from deck five to deck seven on the port and starboard side.

The total weight of the RoRo equipment is around 110 tonnes per shipset.

MacGREGOR