Sunscreens for Irish catamaran ferry
‘Jonathan Swift’ is now sailing with Solasolv sunscreens fitted to its navigation bridge windows
Solar Solve Marine says it has received an order from Irish Ferries for its Solasolv anti-glare, heat rejecting roller screens for navigation bridge windows. Three screens will be fitted to the high speed ferry ‘Jonathan Swift’.
The vessel, also known as the Dublin Swift, is an Austal-built high-speed catamaran operating on the Dublin to Holyhead service. Solar Solve says while one of the benefits of Solasolv roller screens is to reduce heat, winter orders such as this can also be timely as the screens help to help to reduce glare from the low-lying sun. In this situation the sun tends to be in the line of sight and reflects off the water to create an uncomfortable navigating experience. By rejecting up to 92% of glare, eye-strain is significantly reduced so the bridge equipment displays are easier to read and human errors are less likely to occur.
The Jonathan Swift, named after the Anglo-Irish author, entered service in 1999 and was the first high-speed craft operated by Irish Ferries. It can carry 800 passengers and 200 cars. Power is provided by four Caterpillar 3618 diesel engines driving four Kamewa waterjets for a service speed of 40 knots (75km/h) which means the Holyhead to Dublin crossing can be acheived in 1h 49min.
Paul Hopkins, Solar Solve Marine’s sales and marketing executive commented, “Solasolv roller screens are not only very beneficial in summer they are also very useful in the winter when the sun and its reflections on water can be troublesome for vessels who sail in a fixed position towards it on their shipping routes. We are delighted that Irish Ferries has opted to purchase Solasolv sunscreens which are custom-made to order in Britain to exact window dimensions and exported worldwide.”
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