Virtu gets new Austal cat

Mediterranean ferry passengers on the Malta-Italy route are soon to enjoy a stylish new delivery with the introduction of ?Maria Dolores?, an Austal Auto Express 68 metre vehicle-passenger ferry for Virtu Ferries.

Set to replace the existing 52 metre ferry, the newbuilding will have additional capacity to carry 600 passengers and 65 cars or 95 lane metres of trucks plus 35 cars on a vehicle deck with a clear height of 4.6 metres.

This new vessel will operate on routes from Malta to Italy; Valetta to Catania in 3 hours, to Pozzallo in 90 minutes and Reggio Calabria (mainland Italy) in 4 hours. Designed specifically for these routes, with aft and side ramps for rapid turnaround and a moulded depth of 6.3 metres, the ferry will greatly expand the service to mainland Italy and meet growing demand.

As compatibility with Virtu Ferries existing fleet was also an important consideration, the ferry was designed to incorporate six 2,465 kW MTU 16V 4000 M71/ 6 diesel engines driving six Rolls-Royce Kamewa 80 water jets through six ZF gearboxes. This makes the ?Maria Dolores? the first ever example of a sextuple water jet installation on a fast ferry.

Two engine rooms per hull accommodate two engines in the forward compartment and one engine aft that is raised to enable the triangular arrangement of the water jets on the transom. Unlike conventional installations this places the centre water jet above the waterline meaning that initial propulsion is gained via the lower four steerable / reversible water jets allowing the subsequent engagement of the two higher booster-only water jets for full power operations.

Some interesting and highly useful benefits of this installation are the highest possible propulsive efficiency, added redundancy and ability, if desired, to operate on the four lower engines providing Virtu Ferries with the flexibility to offer different frequencies and rates for off-peak periods in order to optimise the ferry?s utilisation.

The new ferry has a maximum deadweight of 260 tonnes and operates at a loaded speed in excess of 35 knots. To maximise the sea keeping potential of the high tunnel height the vessel is fitted with dual SeaState T-Foils and Interceptors providing maximum passenger comfort across the year round spectrum of sea states.