Weidong Ferry buys Akashia as New Golden Bridge IX for Weihai–Incheon

Weidong Ferry has purchased Shin Nihonkai Ferry’s fast RoPax Akashia and renamed her New Golden Bridge IX as an interim solution until a Chinese-built RoPax newbuilding enters service next year. The 34,181 GT ship has sailed on the Otaru–Maizuru route since delivery from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in 2004.

She is 224.8 m long with a beam of 26.0 m, with capacity for 820 passengers in 180 cabins (556 berths) and two freight decks offering 1,580 lane metres plus space for 66 cars. Before she enters Weidong service, a hoistable internal ramp will be installed to connect the main and upper vehicle decks.

Akashia’s propulsion combines a single conventional propeller with an Azipod directly behind it. Two Wärtsilä 12V46 main engines geared to the central propeller, plus two 12V46 gensets, give a combined 50,400 kW and a service speed of 30.5 knots in Shin Nihonkai service. Weidong will not operate her at such high speeds. She will replace New Golden Bridge V on the Weihai–Incheon route; that 1997-built ship reaches her maximum operating age early next year.

Weidong’s 30,322 GT New Golden Bridge VII, built by Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in 2018, has been out of service since June with mechanical issues. Shippax also notes Weidong is understood to have won a concession for a Shanghai–Incheon route, though details of that planned service have not been released.