The new Viking XPRS cruiseferry, which went into service on the Helsinki-Tallinn route on 28 April, includes state of the art cargo access equipment supplied by Gothenburg-based TTS Ships Equipment AB.
Built at Aker Yards in Finland, Viking XPRS represents an entirely new concept in Baltic ferry services, combining the best features of traditional car ferries and fast catamarans. Turnaround time for Viking XPRS services can be as low as one hour, so efficient loading and unloading is vital. To that end, TTS Ships Equipment has designed and installed cargo access equipment including a stern ramp/door , bow doors and a folding frame bow ramp/door, a tiltable ramp, and passenger/pilot/bunker doors.
The patented TTS folding frame bow ramp separates the collision bulkhead door from the rest of the ramp, ensuring that the ship is watertight even if the bow door fails, while still being extremely space-efficient and thus maximising cargo capacity.
In recent years, most new RoPax vessels built for the Baltic sector have been equipped with TTS solutions. New deliveries include four Tallink vessels serving the Tallinn-Stockholm and Tallinn-Helsinki routes. Another will be delivered this summer, with the final ship in the current contract scheduled for completion in 2009. “The important thing about many of these vessels is that they use our hoistable car deck technology, which means the operators can switch between car and truck capacity very easily,” says Björn Rosén, TTS Ships Equipment’s sales manager.
Two such Baltic RoPax vessels belong to Swedish ferry line Destination Gotland. Both ships feature a three-ramp stern arrangement and bow equipment, designed and installed by TTS.
For more details, contact:
Björn Rosén, Sales Manager
TTS Ships Equipment AB, Tel: +46 (0)31 725 79 70
