Five Turkish cats for Damen

The Dutch shipbuilder Damen Shipyards Gorinchem has secured a contract to build five 42 metre catamaran passenger ferries from the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, on behalf of operator Istanbul Deniz Otobusu (IDO). The five new “Sea Buses” for IDO are of the Damen Fast Ferry 4212 type; each can carry 449 passengers at over 30 knots speed while using less then 90% MCR. All vessels will be constructed and outfitted at Damen?s specialist aluminum yard in Singapore and will arrive in Istanbul by early 2007.

This is the first time that the world?s largest ferry operator IDO has chosen for Damen-designed and built fast ferries for their fleet. For the yard in Singapore, this project will be another major series construction program, following the 9 catamarans recently delivered to Soflusa in Lisbon, Portugal.

IDO is responsible for all sea transportation of passengers and cars around Istanbul and the Marmara Sea. With ever growing transport demands in the greater municipality of Istanbul, of over 15 million inhabitants living on both sides of the Bosporus, IDO is currently involved in a significant fleet expansion and modernization program.