BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar.2
By Jeyhun Alakbarov - Trend:
‘Azerbaijan’ Ro-Pax ferry boat transporting passengers, cars and railway carriages, built at Baku Shipyard by the order of the Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company (ASCO), has been commissioned, and ‘Zarifa Aliyeva’ ferry boat of the same designation sailed away, Trend reports referring to a source in ASCO.
According to the source, the Ro-Pax boats have a maximum carrying capacity with a minimum landing.
The concept and engineering design of the project, which is considered a unique one (within the framework of which the new vessels - Ro-Pax ferries - were commissioned for the first time in the Caspian Sea), were prepared by the Odessa Marine Engineering Bureau with the close participation of ASCO specialists.
Ro-Pax vessels are about 154.5 meters long, 17.7 meters wide and 7.5 meters high. The boats with a 30-man crew can sail at a speed of 14 knots. The new Ro-Pax type vessels are larger in terms of carrying capacity than the existing ferries in the Caspian and are capable of carrying 100 passengers, 56 tank wagons, or 50 heavy trucks.
At the same time, the boats are equipped with a freight elevator, a helipad, a wave balancing system, and two traction locomotives.
Ro-Pax ferry vessels of ASCO fleet, being an important link in the chain of cargo transportation along the Trans-Caspian international transport route, will connect the railways on the eastern and western shores of the Caspian Sea along the water route and will serve to more efficient use of the geographical position and transit potential of Azerbaijan.
As earlier reported, on March 1, 2021, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev attended the ceremonies at Baku Shipyard for the ‘Academician Zarifa Aliyeva’ and to commission the ‘Azerbaijan’ Ro-Pax type ferry boats.