UK
A family-owned ferry company, based in northeast Italy, is making a splash in the industry by choosing Volvo Penta Inboard Performance System (IPS) to power its Delfino Verde Deluxe ferry – the first boat entirely made of wood to use a triple installation of IPS.
Silvano Peric founded Delfino Verde Navigazione, 30 years ago. He was one of three operators in Trieste and started with one small ferry. Through hard work and business savviness, he managed to grow the company. His stepdaughter, Bianca Jurcich, is now vice president of the company – her husband is the captain of Delfino Verde Deluxe.
“My husband started as a deckhand, assisting the captain during the docking and mooring and helping passengers aboard” explains Jurcich, “now he’s a fully qualified captain.” Most of Delfino Verde’s employees have been with the company for a long time and risen through the ranks like this.
Deep roots grow strong trees
Peric is ambitious and very determined to grow Delfino Verde. The company mainly provides public transport services for the city of Trieste – the City pays for the running of this service, and Peric keeps the profits from the ticket sales. The more Peric saves on fuel, the more his company earns. “We want to offer our customers a safe, comfortable and efficient service” explains Jurcich. “And of course, from a business perspective, reliability and efficiency are key. That’s why we chose Volvo Penta IPS.”
IPS: Putting the joy into boating
The Delfino Verde Deluxe boasts three D13-IPS900 units, which provide a reduction in fuel consumption of approximately 35 percent when compared to a more traditional propulsion system fitted to a boat with similar characteristics. This is a massive saving of approximately €50,000 per year and will help the family company to grow and be a competitive operator in the region.
Another major advantage of IPS is the system’s excellent maneuverability and the ease offered by the joystick docking. The IPS makes docking much easier. Instead of using the levers, the bow thrusters and the rudder the captain [Jurcich’s husband] simply uses the joystick, “This saves him time and gives him an overall more comfortable experience” says Jurcich.
Safe passage
Although it is only a 50-minute drive between Trieste and Grado many people still opt for the ferry trip – because of the ease and accessibility. People from Trieste go to Grado on day trips to the beach, and lots of people cross by boat with their bikes to do the Alpe Adria Cycling Route that goes from Salzburg to Grado. And in the summer months, many tourists also take the ferry to Grado from Trieste. The 32-meter boat can carry 300 passengers and 30 bicycles on each crossing – with three return trips scheduled from Trieste to Grado each day – that is a lot of traffic diverted from the windy coastal roads.
The Delfino Verde Deluxe embodies what can be achieved when beautiful craftsmanship meets precision engineering. Benefiting hundreds on a daily basis, this is a Volvo Penta Proven Success.