POTENT TRIMARAN FERRIES FOR CANARY ROUTES

Bajamar Express, the first of two 118-metre trimaran ferries ordered by Fred Olsen Express from aluminium shipbuilding specialist Austal, is due to be delivered in April 2020. Fitted with a multi-engine diesel plant producing 36,400kW, the vessel will be capable of transporting 1,100 passengers and 278 cars at speeds up to 38 knots.

While Bajamar Express is a product of Austal’s Henderson headquarters yard in Western Australia, second-of-class Banaderos Express has been laid down at the company’s Balamban premises in the Philippines and is expected to be ready for operation by the end of 2020. The contract is understood to have a commanded an overall price of at least A$190m(US$133m).

The design was drawn up by Austal Australia and builds on experience with the seminal Benchijigua Express, the 127-metre trimaran which has set the benchmark for blue-water, fast ferry operations since entering service with Fred Olsen in 2005. The optimised trimaran hull form of the Bajamar Express type has been specified with Austal’s proprietary motion control technology, to achieve a smoother ride and increased comfort for passengers and crew in the often rigorous waters of the Canary archipelago.

Each newbuild will be installed with four MTU 20-cylinder 8000 M71L high-speed diesels manufactured by Rolls-Royce Power Systems in Germany, driving four Kamewa waterjets. Each engine is rated for 9,100kW at 1,150rpm, offering an exceptionally high power density. The Benchijigua Express had provided an early commercial reference for the potent Series 8000 propulsion machinery. The latest deal with Rolls-Royce also encompasses a maintenance agreement both new ferries for a period of up to eight years and a maximum of 24,000 running hours.

Bajamar Express will also roll-out the shipbuilder’s next-generation of Marinelink integrated monitoring, alarm and control systems conceived specifically for high-speed ships. Marinelink-Smart takes the concept forward by providing live shoreside and onboard advice to ship’s crew and data analytics to increase operational and maintenance efficiencies and improve seakeeping.

Utilising machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) technology to create an adaptive and predictive performance management system, Marinelink-Smart assists decision-making as to motion control, trim, speed and route planning in accordance with loading and sea state conditions.

Fred Olsen’s Canary Islands-deployed fleet maintains six routes connecting seven islands and carries some 2.4m passengers and 800,000 vehicles per annum.

The assignment of second-of-class Banaderos Express to Austal Philippines signifies the increased capabilities of the Balamban yard following the July 2019 completion of a US$20m expansion programme. Central to the scheme has been the opening of a 120 x 43 x 41-metre production facility known as the John Rothwell Assembly Bay, where work was started on a 109m high-speed catamaran for Fjord Line of Norway.

A trimaran hull is also being adopted for a 83-metre newbuild under construction by Austal at Henderson for JR Kyushu Jet Ferry of Japan, as well as for six US naval ships in production at Austal’s yard in Mobile, Alabama.