The passenger ferry Royal Daffodil made her first public cruise on the River Mersey on Saturday, September 26, four days after a naming ceremony in Liverpool that formally welcomed her into the Mersey Ferries fleet.
The £26 million (US$34 million) vessel, built in Birkenhead, is the first new ferry constructed for the service in more than 60 years. Regular passenger services are scheduled to begin in October.
The new ferry is intended for commuter crossings and river sightseeing cruises with space for private events.
The vessel was built at the Birkenhead yard formerly known as Cammell Laird, now named Balaena Birkenhead. The shipbuilder handed her over to the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority in June, ahead of final preparations for passenger service.
The ferry is 50 metres long and displaces 750 tonnes and was able to achieve a speed of 12 knots during trials. She is powered by a hybrid-ready diesel-electric system with azimuthing podded thrusters. Mersey Ferries said that future developments could make conversion to full electric propulsion possible.
