BMT completes Australian cable ferry project

FEBRUARY 10, 2016 — Melbourne, Australia, based BMT Design & Technology Pty Ltd (BMT), a subsidiary of BMT Group Ltd, has recently completed a design project for the South Australian Government’s Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI).

Working in partnership with the DPTI, BMT has developed a replacement design for ferries that operate on the River Murray, the third longest navigable river in the world, after the Amazon and Nile.

Constructed of steel and 22 m long, the cable driven ferries can take two lanes of cars or trucks of up to 50 tonnes, or a maximum of 70 passengers.

The steel hull, built by local firm Bowhill Engineering, was fitted out by the Department’s Morgan dockyard.

The first ferry has now gone into service in Lyrup with another three scheduled for completion by July 2016, 2017 and 2018 respectively.

Local communities rely heavily on the ferries for safe passage across the River Murray.

A source from DPTI comments: “BMT has helped us to deliver a robust design, a critical factor for a service that operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”

The team at BMT provided structural engineering and naval architecture services to deliver a detailed design which aligned with the customer requirements.

BMT also carried out condition surveys on a further four timber hulled ferries that were nearing end of life. Following the surveys, the Department applied weight restrictions to help maintain the longevity of these ferries for safe operation until they are replaced.

Trevor Dove, Maritime Engineering Lead at BMT Design & Technology comments: “We recognize that providing the optimum design in terms of cost, schedule and performance is key. Our team has been able to demonstrate its expertise and knowledge in all aspects of marine engineering to deliver a design that is fit for purpose for the customer.”