Austal USA launches largest vessel to date

Austal USA successfully launched its seventh and largest vessel to date. Lake Express, a 58 metre high-speed vehicle-passenger ferry, ordered by Lake Express LLC, rolled out of Austal?s shipbuilding facility in Mobile, Alabama. This vessel has several points of significance including the ffirst high-speed vehicle-passenger ferry to be built at the yard, and the first of its kind to operate across Lake Michigan

When asked of the impact this project has on Austal USA?s future as a premier aluminium shipbuilder in the US, Austal USA CEO, Greg Metcalf responded, “This project is a further step in building up capacity and capability at Austal USA which will stabilize our efforts to be a major contender in larger contracts in both the commercial and military markets.”

With capacity for 248 passengers and 46 cars, the Auto Express 58 will be capable of 34 knots. It will link the cities of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Muskegon in Michigan, crossing Lake Michigan in just over two hours, thus saving passengers a lengthy drive around the southern shore of Lake Michigan, including traffic congestion in Chicago.

The ferry is scheduled to be delivered to her home port of Milwaukee in May in order to start service as agreed in early June.