120 workers shape Armón's pioneering ferry to Tahiti

Vigo’s Bay shipyard will install the modern 22-meter suction sail in July.

A team of 120 workers is involved in the construction of the ferry Armón is building for the main shipping company operating the routes between Tahiti and the southern islands in the South Pacific crystal-clear waters. At Beiramar shipyard, the Asturian shipbuilder is making steady progress on this unique order, which has allowed the local industry to return to ferry segment. The last ferry built by the Vigo shipyard was Villa de Teror, delivered by Vulcano to Transmediterránea in 2019.

Named Na Hiro E Pae, it will have 89 meters in length and will have a capacity for two hundred passengers, in addition to 1,500 tons of cargo. The combination of passenger and freight transport is one of the unique aspects of this order, whose deck is designed to carry one hundred containers. Valencian engineering firm Cotenaval is responsible for the conceptual design of this multipurpose vessel, while the Basque company Oliver Design handled the interior decoration.

The ferry for the Société de Navigation des Australes Tuhaa Pae, currently taking shape in Beiramar, marks the evolution of shipbuilding in recent years. Armón is now paving the way for a transition towards a renewable energy-dominated environment, taking on major challenges such as this ferry. In July, the shipyard team will install 22-meter-high turbos ail that will generate double-digit energy savings by harnessing the trade winds in this island territory.

This suction sail is the work of the Cantabrian company Bound4Blue and is inspired by an airplane wing, optimizing aerodynamics. Furthermore, the Armón vessel will be equipped with engines capable of running on biofuel or synthetic fuels as soon as they become commercially available in the region.

Vigo Bay shipyard expects to deliver the order in September. The company is focusing its efforts on this particular order, currently employing 120 people and several auxiliary companies. The vessel will be based in Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia. From there, it will sail through crystal-clear waters to volcanic islands such as Rurutu, Tubuai, and Rapa Nui. If all goes well, it will make its maiden voyage at the end of summer.

Source: La Voz de Galicia