Austal?s first for Sealink

Built for its first domestic ferry customer, Austal Ships? first medium speed ferry has completed its first summer season with a perfect record for sailings reliability. Not surprisingly, operator Kangaroo Island SeaLink says the new catamaran has received an enthusiastic welcome from regular travellers, tourists and freight customers.

The aluminium catamaran “Spirit of Kangaroo Island” was delivered in early December ? just nine months after the order was placed – demonstrating a remarkably short build time for the custom designed vessel which measures just over 50 metres in length overall.

The new vessel has been acquired to accommodate increased passenger traffic and to improve ferry services to Australia?s third largest island. Operating up to 10 trips per day, Kangaroo Island SeaLink provides the primary sea transportation ferry service between the mainland and Kangaroo Island, which is situated about nine nautical miles offshore from Cape Jervis, on the tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula in the state of South Australia.

With capacity for 244 passengers and 55 cars or 16 cars and eight trucks, Spirit of Kangaroo Island is powered by a pair of Caterpillar 3512B diesels driving 5-bladed, fixed pitch propellers via Reintjes gearboxes giving the vessel a service speed of 16 knots. The 350 tonne deadweight is substantial for a ferry of this size and is crucial to its success due to the significant freight volumes carried on the route alongside resident and tourist traffic.