Shippax Award 2012

After have been travelling on, or visiting many ships delivered last year, the Shippax jury has decided to award some concepts or creative ideas, and this for the 13th consecutive time. The Shippax Awards ceremony took place on the first day of the Ferry Shipping Conference.

The ferry awards:

SPIRIT OF BRITAIN: Safe Return to Port
The SPIRIT OF BRITAIN is the most technically advanced Channel ferry, incorporating a number of innovative features in response to new environmental and safety legislation. The ship’s absolute novelty factor is the adoption of IMO’s Safe Return to Port rules before they came into force.

Owner: P&O Ferries
Naval architect:  Deltamarin
Shipyard: STX Finland

PIANA: total HI-FOG fire protection and restaurant concept
The PIANA impressed the ShipPax Award jury in two ways. She is the world’s first ro-pax ferry equipped entirely with a high-pressure water mist Marioff HI-FOG system. HI-FOG has traditionally been used in accommodation and service areas. But, in this case, it has also been installed on the vehicle decks and in the engine room, replacing conventional drencher and CO2 fire fighting systems. The jury was also pleasantly surprised by the ship’s swish accommodation and the modular multifunctional restaurant which, on busy sailings, serves as an extension to the à la carte, the self-service, or both restaurants.

Owner: Compagnie Méridionale de Navigation
Supplier: Marioff
Interior designer:  AIA
Shipyard: Brodosplit Shipyard

VOLCAN DEL TEIDE: duplex cabins and bar/restaurant concept
The Spanish company Armas has further raised the bar with the introduction of the 1,500-passenger VOLCAN DEL TEIDE. Her two duplex suites are of special interest. These are luxury outside cabins with a lower bedroom and upper living room that are interconnected by a spiral staircase. Even more striking and innovative are the double level aft lounge/bar and midship buffet restaurant with very large bay windows that extend beyond the ship’s moulded beam.

Owner: Naviera Armas
Interior designer:  Oliver Design
Shipyard: Astillero Barreras

STENA SUPERFAST VII: conversion from long haul to short haul
Stena Line has gone to great lengths to turn typical long haul night ferries to state-of-the-art short haul ferries and, in the opinion of the ShipPax Award jury, Stena Line, together with the interior designers of Figura Arkitekter, has succeeded marvellously. Although the ships are chartered, they bear the unmistakable hallmarks of the Stena Line family, also boasting new Stena Line facilities like the Pod Lounge. The vessels are in a class of their own, providing a unique experience of crossing the North Channel.

Operator: Stena Line
Interior designer:  Figura Arkitekter
Turnkey outfitter: MJM Interior Build

HAMLET: interior facelift
The HAMLET represents the first of four similar conversions that give the Helsingør-Helsingborg cross-Öresund ferry service a new impetus, thanks to the contemporary design of public spaces with bright colours, bold graphics and designer furnishings. Crossings only take twenty minutes; so the focus is on X-press service with complete new catering and beverage facilities. The whole upgrade reflects the change in lifestyle. The innovative area dedicated to commuters is a feature especially noteworthy.

Operator: Scandlines Danmark A/S
Interior designer:  Figura Arkitekter
Turnkey outfitter: MJM Interior Build

SUPERSPEED I: children’s playroom in new section
SUPERSPEED I was an immediate success when she was introduced in March 2008. In response to pressure on seating capacity, a two-deck accommodation module was added by STX Finland in early 2011. It houses the largest pizzeria afloat. However, what impressed the ShipPax Award jury more was the new children’s playroom. The innovative “rock climbing” installation on a window allows the parents to watch over their children.

Owner: Color Line

The cruise award:

MARINA:  hands-on cooking school
The "Bon Appétit Culinary Centre" is the first interactive cooking school at sea with a classroom that boasts 12 fully equipped cooking stations for 24 guests in total. The hands-on instructions and demonstrations by the Master Chef/teacher in front of the class are shown on large video screens. The participants can follow the procedure step-by-step.

Owner: Oceania Cruises
Interior designer: Yran & Storbraaten
Shipyard: Fincantieri

The ro-ro awards:

JOLLY DIAMANTE: scrubber technology
The JOLLY DIAMANTE is the world’s first commercially operated vessel to be built with seawater scrubbers for cleaning the exhaust fumes from the gensets. The ship features five scrubbers, consisting of four units for the auxiliary engines and one for the auxiliary boiler. The system enables Ignazio Messina to comply with the 0.1 percent sulphur emissions regulations in EU ports.

Owner: Ignazio Messina & C.
Supplier: Hamworthy Krystallon
Shipyard: DSME

TØNSBERG: advanced concept
The TØNSBERG convinced the ShipPax Award jury of her advanced concept with environmental advantages and capacity improvements which result in a higher profit potential.

Operator: Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics
Shipyard: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries