Texas, NJ ferry operators select IMTRA for refit, newbuild projects

(NEW BEDFORD, Mass.) — IMTRA, a leading manufacturer and importer of quality marine products, has announced its involvement in a number of large ferry projects. IMTRA is supplying integral equipment to the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) as part of a ferry refit program as well as a new 150-foot fast ferry being built for Seastreak Ferries from Atlantic Highlands, N.J.

The TXDOT has contracted with Southwest Shipyards to refurbish six ferries being deployed on the busy Port Aransas and Galveston-Port Bolivar routes. These two ferry routes operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and transport more than 8 million passengers annually. The TXDOT has selected the Colorlight CL25-11 high-output HMI searchlight from IMTRA because of its focusable beam from 4 to 20 degrees, which allows the searchlight to be adjusted to a narrow beam for distance and wide spread for flood illumination, as well as the light’s continuous rotation on both axes and no hard stops. Due to the demanding conditions in which the ferries operate over relatively short distances, the CL25 is capable of illuminating the entire crossing.

Seastreak Ferries has commissioned a new 600-passenger, high-speed luxury catamaran, the first in what will be known as its Commodore class. The new vessel was designed by Incat Crowther of Sydney, Australia and is being constructed by Gulf Craft of Franklin, La. Once launched, it will be the highest passenger capacity U.S. Coast Guard K-class high-speed ferry in the United States. At 35 knots, the new ferry will provide service between Wall Street and Monmouth County, N.J., in under 40 minutes. For this project, IMTRA is supplying CLite2 searchlights, NorSap 1500 Helm chairs, LED lighting in all passenger areas, IS15 utility lights in the engine room and Ventura LED lights in the wheelhouse. In addition, IMTRA is providing Offshore series LED deck lights for various external lighting applications.

For more information about IMTRA or its product line, visit www.imtra.com.

By Professional Mariner Staff