Austal unveils its largest ever catamaran

Weighing around 1,000 tonnes, the vessel will be able to carry up to 1,400 passengers and 357 cars when complete. The main power plant, comprising four MAN 20V28/33D engines each producing 9,100kW at 1,000 rpm, propels the newbuilding at speeds of up to 40 knots. The vessel is said to be the heaviest Austal has ever built, weighing slightly more than the 127m trimaran Benchijigua Express delivered to Fred. Olsen in 2005.

Due to the enormous scale of the ship, the upper deck, which has been constructed as a separate ‘super unit’ had to be fitted after the vessel left the fabrication hall. The ‘super unit’ weighs in at over 170 tonnes which is more then the total aluminium weight of two 47.5m vessels also currently under construction.

Austal joined the two parts together using its own aluminium welding techniques, which it describes as “advanced and highly specialised”. This operation involved lifting the ‘super unit’ after which the vessel was towed from the fabrication hall and positioned beneath the ‘super unit’. The process of lowering the unit and aligning it with the main structure was said to have been successfully completed in a few hours.

Austal’s claims that the ability to successfully marry the two complex structures and systems is due in large part to the advanced ship building processes it employs. These include a multi-headed gantry welder which, on this vessel, was used to weld nearly 53 km of aluminium structural planking.

The newbuilding, which is bound for Denmark in mid 2011, is destined for vehicle and passenger ferry service between Denmark and Sweden.