China's Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding has launched the first of two new rail ferries for CG Railway, a joint venture between subsidiaries of railroad company Genesee and Wyoming (G&W) and Seacor Holdings.
The vessel is expected to begin operations in the second quarter of 2021 while its sister will enter service the following quarter. Each will have a length of 179.8 metres, capacity for 135 railcars, and a maximum speed of 14 knots.
The vessels will also be equipped with features designed to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 and other infectious diseases. These features include segregated passageways and spaces with separate HVAC systems.
The new vessels will replace two older CGR vessels with capacity for 115 railcars.
Huangpu Wenchong will then start conducting sea trials on the vessels before their scheduled departure for the United States.
