SMC News

The plan approval began immediately following the signing of the agreement. The vessel’s construction is scheduled to start from November 2023 until June 2025, with S.M.C.’s site team of four supervisors in attendance.

The vessel, whose budget is more than 60 million euros, is one of the most significant initiatives in accelerating the decarbonization of the maritime sector. The 136-meter-long Neoliner, which boasts two 76-meter-high SolidSail folding carbon masts and retractable anti-drift plans, will be mainly propelled by its 3,000 sqm sail area. The Neoliner will be the first one equipped with a SolidSail rigging system, supplied by Chantiers de l’Atlantique. Its loading capacity will be 1,130 lane meters (2.8 m wide), 265 TEU, for a maximum weight of 5,000 tons of goods.  Jean Zanuttini, CEO of NEOLINE calling it the first achievement of a more than 10-year project (Source: https://www.neoline.eu/en/neoliner-under-construction/).

Based in France, NEOLINE was driven and founded with the conviction that the working sail is the only truly sober, immediately available and powerful enough solution to propel cargo ships. NEOLINE aims to build sustainable shipping by offering maritime transport solutions that combine operational relevance and energy sobriety and moving towards zero emission transport (Source: https://www.neoline.eu/en/who-are-we/#historique).

SMC is very honored to have the opportunity to participate in this novel green project and make contribution towards decarbonization and changing the world for better.

Currently, SMC has six projects running at four shipyards in Türkiye, which has risen as an important shipbuilding market specialized in small and medium sized high value and technologically advanced vessels.

P&O Pioneer is the world’s first green vessel outfitted with two 75,00kw Azipods at each end, combined with the regulatory separated engine spaces, diesel electric generation, as well as battery storage and full electric propulsion. This unique combination allows the ships to operate at a speed of over 22 knots and a service speed of 20.8 knots. The large-capacity batteries outfitted allows the vessel a maximum storage capacity of 8.8 megawatts. Its capability to use the shore power and recharge batteries respectively at shore or underway provides consistent power supply and energy optimization.

The vessel boasts high level of automation. There are over 12,000 alarm points built into the various systems, and all controlled from one engine control room and two wheelhouses. The vessel can switch between one wheelhouse operation to the other with two simple change over switches (one on each wheelhouse); it can also instantly switch between diesel and batteries propulsion at the push of a single button. ​​​​​​​

Our (SMC) electrical and mechanical teams (plan approval experts as well as supervisors) had their work cut out for them since whilst the basics are well known, a lot of the design had never been used before and certainly not on this scale. It was a great sense of achievement for the suppliers, yard, class, owners and SMC when the sea trials were completed, and the test concluded satisfactory.

There are more than 9,300 square meters of space with a certified capacity of 1,500 passengers in the vessels. Restaurants, bars, a gym, a children’s area, pet’s area, duty free shops, as well as other areas for entertainment and relaxation are all included in the vessel. Passengers can have a 180-degree view at each side of the vessel. The double ended ferry has three decks for vehicles, the top deck taking cars only and the other two decks taking trucks and cars. There is a double level drive on drive off facilities (deck 3 and deck 5) at both ends, again increasing the efficiency of the vessel and reducing the turnaround time in port. The car and truck decks are fitted with charge ports for the electric driven vehicles.​​​​​​​

Our Hull supervisors and our Accommodation Outfitting supervisors were able to use our recent experience from other projects and comparing the required standards as well as those on offer from a different outfitting supplier we again managed to deliver a high-quality interior pleasing the owners’ seniors and the owners on site team.

SMC Site Team and Owner Representatives @ GSI for POF Project

“As the TT-Line vessels (delivered last year) were state of the art vessels and they are, working on longer routes and differing ports, the POF ferries will be the latest in their class and again with modern technologies working on a fixed short route will,  I am sure,  be the types of vessels to lead the ferries into the next century.” says Steve Nolan, who managed the TT-Line project and greatly involved with the POF project as Technical Director of SMC.