VESSEL REVIEW | Strelna – Proven Russian river ferry design combined with electric propulsion upgrade
Emperium, a Leningrad-based shipbuilding company under Russia’s Sitronics Group, has delivered the first vessel in a new series of electric river ferries ordered by local shipowner Mashpromlizing for operation by transport company Vodohod.
Strelna belongs to the Project EM901 or Moskva 2.0 series of river ferries, which are being built as improved variants of an earlier series of diesel-powered vessels that operated in Russian inland waters during the Soviet era. Notable improvements over the earlier vessels include a hull that is wider by two metres (6.6 feet) to permit the incorporation of larger spaces.
Ergonomic layout coupled with all-weather capability
Emperium said the vessel is equipped with advanced technologies and materials that ensure high efficiency and cost-effectiveness of operation. The vessel has an ergonomic design and comfortable spaces for passengers, including lounges, a bar, a restaurant, open decks, and a conference room and an upper deck cabin with panoramic windows.
The all-weather-capable ferry, which has already begun operational sailings in Saint Petersburg, has steel-aluminium construction, an LOA of 33.3 metres (109 feet), a beam of eight metres (26 feet), a draught of only 1.2 metres (3.9 feet), a depth of 2.05 metres (6.73 feet), a displacement of 140 tonnes, a crew of 10, and space for up to 200 passengers on two decks. Passenger seating is available in three classes.
The builder said the design of the vessel combines comfort, modernity and aesthetics with the aim of providing passengers with a pleasant atmosphere during each journey. The interior therefore utilises high-quality materials and finishes and a combination of natural textures of wood, metal and glass.
A 550kW battery pack drives two 200kW azimuthing propellers to deliver a maximum speed of 10 knots and a cruising speed of 6.5 knots. A single full charge of the batteries will enable the vessel to operate continuously for up to seven hours, allowing for a maximum of seven trips in one day along the Neva River and further out into the Gulf of Finland.
First in a new river commuter fleet
Charging the batteries to full capacity can be completed in four hours at dedicated jetty stations provided by Sitronics subsidiary Sitronics Electro. The stations can support both AC and DC charging, ensuring greater adaptability.
A backup diesel generator will be used if the ferry cannot access charging stations.
Strelna will be operated on one- to two-hour trips during daytime along the Neva River and on two-hour nighttime cruises that include passing underneath some of the bridges throughout Saint Petersburg.
Emperium will build a total of six Project Moskva 2.0 ferries by 2026. All vessels in the series will be classed by the Russian Classification Society.
