German operator receives newbuild ferry, orders catamaran

A German coastal ferry operator has taken delivery of an eco-friendly monohull ferry and placed an order for a new catamaran.

The Föhr-based Wyker Dampfschiff-Reederei Föhr-Amrum (WDR) said its 75.88-metre monohull ferry Norderaue was likely to be christened on December 30.

Built at Neptun Werft in Warnemünde to Blauer Engel eco-friendly specifications, Norderaue will be WDR’s third double-ended ferry.

The 16.4-metre-wide Norderaue will carry a maximum of 1,200 passengers. Its car deck will be the first on a WDR ferry with four lanes for trucks, meaning it will accommodate 350 cars and 280 trucks to meet island supply demands.

Meanwhile, WDR has ordered an aluminium catamaran ferry for use in the Frisian Wadden Sea when it is delivered in February 2019.

Being built by Holland’s Scheepswerf Talsma, the 34.15-metre by 10.5-metre newbuild will have two engines – one in each hull – and a bow thruster for a top speed of 20 knots in calm water.

Scheduled to be delivered in February 2019, the Blauer Engel-certified vessel caters for 150 passengers in winter and 250 in the summer. The ship will have a service speed of 16 knots.


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