The Armand-Imbeau II has been delivered to Société des traversiers du Québec (STQ). The ship was built at Chantier Davie Canada shipyard and will run on LNG fuel, and has also been fitted with a broad scope of Wärtsilä solutions.

Wärtsilä supplied the ship’s dual-fuel engines, the fuel storage, control and supply system.

By operating the vessel on clean burning LNG fuel, STQ – Québec Province ferries operator – will minimise the environmental impact of its operations, the company said.

The decision is also in line with the Québec’s Maritime Strategy, which seeks to protect the integrity of the province’s river and marine ecosystem.

“Once again, Wärtsilä’s unique ability to act as a single-source provider of products, automated systems, and integrated solutions delivers real value to both the owners and the shipyard. The depth of our experience in providing LNG solutions is unmatched in the marine industry, and our advanced technologies are designed to overcome the operational cost and regulatory compliance challenges that operators face today,” said Wilco van der Linden, General Manager, Cruise & Ferries, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions.

“At the Société des traversiers du Québec we are committed to protecting the marine environment in which we operate. For this reason, we were the first ferry operator in Canada to welcome a LNG fueled ferry in 2015, and following this current delivery, we still have a third LNG ferry on order. All of them feature Wärtsilä equipment. Apart from their LNG systems, their technology allows us to operate year round, despite the ice conditions,” noted François Bertrand, interim CEO of STQ.

“This delivery marks a shipbuilding milestone as it is the first LNG fueled ferry ever built in North America. We are very proud to have succeeded with this project, and we thank Wärtsilä for its excellent support in making it possible,” said Jared Newcombe, Chief Executive Officer, Chantier Davie Canada Inc. 

The full scope of Wärtsilä’s supply comprises four Wärtsilä 20DF dual-fuel engines, the Wärtsilä LNGPac fuel storage, control and supply system, an Integrated Automation System (IAS), the Power Management System (PMS), the electric drive system, the Wärtsilä communication and control center, on-site management and project integration engineering.

The ferry will operate on the Saguenay river on the Tadoussac–Baie-Sainte-Catherine route. It is capable of carrying more than 430 passengers and 110 cars or 16 tractor units.

Wärtsilä has earlier supplied the dual-fuel engines and LNGPac system for MV F.-A.-Gauthier, the first LNG fueled ferry owned by STQ. It was built in Italy and delivered in 2015.