Hull assembly is under way for the MV Armand-Imbeau II—the first of two sister-ships under construction at Davie, the Canada-based shipbuilder, for the Société des traversiers du Québec (STQ).

The ferries will sail the Tadoussac-Baie-Sainte-Catherine route and are being built for year-round navigation on the Saguenay Fjord. The ships will measure 92 meters long and include eight rows on two decks, enabling the transport of up to 110 vehicles, including tractor-trailers.

The ferries will be driven by liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered engines, as well as electric thrusters, instead of a conventional propulsion system.

Jocelyn Fortier, CEO of STQ, says, “The ferries will be the first LNG-propelled ferries built in North America. This technology and several other innovations on board will enable the Société des traversiers du Québec to be on the cutting edge of the maritime transportation of passengers in North America."

The first ship, MV Armand-Imbeau II, is expected to be delivered in the fall of 2015, followed by the MV Jos-Deschênes II, four months later.