Hamanasu wins award

The Japan Society of Naval Architects and Ocean Engineers (formerly known as The Society of Naval Architects of Japan) has awarded its 15th ?Ship Of the Year 2004? award to the ?Hamanasu?, a 34,181GT high-speed ferry, built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for Shin Nihonkai Ferry Company in June 2004. The award ceremony took place at the Nippon Kaiun Club in Tokyo on 21 July, 2005.

The ?Hamanasu? is the world?s first vessel employing the hybrid CRP-POD propulsion system which enables the ferry to achieve a service speed of 30.5 knots with dramatic fuel savings of over 13% compared with conventional propulsion.