Austrian transport, and equipment rental company Prangl has completed the transport and installation of a new passenger vessel, the ‘Stefanie III’, at Lake Hallstatt in Steeg.
The company handled both the logistics of moving the ship from the Linz shipyard and the challenge of placing it in the water.
Stefanie III, which measures 25m in length, 5.5m in width, and 5.10m in height, was constructed in Linz.
It features a diesel-electric propulsion system and a photovoltaic array on its roof, as well as a heat pump intended for winter passenger comfort.
The ferry was transported to the lakeside in Steeg via a night-time road operation using a Prangl tractor and a 2+4-axle low-bed semi-trailer.
The lifting operation took place at Car Park 1 on the B 166 in Steeg near Bad Goisern, selected for its space to accommodate the equipment required.
This project relied on a 700t telescopic crane, positioned at the site a day before the scheduled lift.
Due to lower water levels in Lake Hallstatt this year, attributed to reduced snowfall over winter, the crane required an extended reach for the placement.
On the day of the lift, the ship’s wheelhouse, which had been separately transported, was re-attached on site prior to the hoisting procedure.
Workers attached the lifting slings before raising the 44t vessel from the loader with the crane, reaching a lifting height of up to 25m and managing a lifting load of 46t.
The ship was initially lowered into the lake to a depth of approximately 15cm at a 25m reach.
Buoyancy in the water subsequently reduced the lifting load, enabling further careful positioning into deeper water. At a reach of 42m, the vessel was released from the lifting slings.
The operation concluded with the ‘Stefanie III’ proceeding under its own power and no reported incidents.
Prangl stated that the procedure had to be performed with a high level of precision to ensure the new vessel entered deep water without damage, enabling it to begin service as scheduled.
Last month, Prangl installed a new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Traisen River in Herzogenburg, Austria, deploying a 700t telescopic crane to position the structure connecting the town with the Ossarn district.
