Eight new electric ferries will be introduced into service on the Moskva River in Russia's capital Moscow later this year, the city's mayor confirmed recently.
Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the eight ferries will join 31 other vessels that have been purchased thus far. All 39 vessels will belong to the same series of monohull ferries built by local shipyard Emperium.
The Moscow Department of Transport and Road Infrastructure Development will operate the new ferries on behalf of shipowner State Transport Leasing Company.
Each Emperium-built ferry will have a welded aluminium hull, an LOA of 21 metres, a beam of 6.2 metres, a draught of only 1.4 metres, a displacement of 40 tonnes, and space for 80 passengers (42 seated) plus two crewmembers. The main cabins will also feature USB charging ports, tables, toilets, and space for bicycles and scooters.
The cabin layout can be rearranged to allow the operator to adjust the distances between the seats and to install armrests of varying widths.
The ferries will be of modular construction with each vessel's wheelhouse, main cabin, and other structural elements being built as complete, separate components. This will enable the ferries to be easily dismantled for transport to anywhere in Russia by road or rail and then quickly re-assembled on-site within seven days.
