New catamaran among world's ten largest
SHIPPING: Bornholmstrafikken's new catamaran ferry will be 50 per cent larger than the existing catamaran Villum Clausen, and with its 113 meter it will be one of the world's longest high-speed ferries.
? 61 million - that is how much Nordic Ferry Service had to pay the Australian shipyard Austral for building the new high-speed ferry.
According to Bent Hansen, technical manager of Bornholmstrafikken, the new ferry will have better manoeuvre abilities than the current high-speed ferry Villum Clausen, and will also be more comfortable to onboard in heavy weather:
"The tunnel height is much higher than that of Villum Clausen. This means that it can force waves one meter higher and that it does not drop into sea troughs as easily, as did Villum Clausen. And it was not always comfortable to sail with in heavy weather", says bent Hansen to the professional paper Ingenioren.
The new catamaran is driven by four diesel engines, whereas Villum Clausen sails with two gas turbines. This will give fuel savings of 20 per cent with the same march speed, 40 knots, but also imply more maintenance.
Three car decks with slopes forward and astern will ensure fast entry and exit for the many cars. The giant catamaran will have a minimum capacity of 1,400 passengers and room for 357 cars, which is 400 passengers and 142 cars more than Villum Clausen holds.
The catamaran will be one of the world's largest and is delivered in 2011 according to the schedule.
Source: maritimedanmark.dk
