Austal Philippines has recently delivered a 109m high-speed catamaran ferry, Austal Hull 419, to Norwegian ferry operator Fjord Line, Ship Technology reports. The catamaran will be shuttling between between Kristiansand, Norway, and Hirtshals, Denmark.
Austal Philippines is an integral partner for the Austal Group in building revolutionary high-speed ships for governments, navies, ferry, and offshore operators.
According to Austal, the vehicle-passenger ferry named FSTR is currently the largest ferry by volume constructed by the company and the largest aluminum vessel ever constructed in the Philippines.
The vessel can carry around 1,200 passengers at speeds of up to 40k and with a beam of 30.5m, the ferry can carry 404 cars across its two decks. FSTR is equipped with various design innovations to increase operating performance and passenger comfort including a new effective hull form for controlling fuel consumption and wake wash when operating on the Skagerrak Sea between Kristiansand, Norway, and Hirtshals, Denmark.
Paddy Gregg, CEO of Austal stated that it’s impressive to see a large high-speed ferry like this delivered in the best of times, but for the team to deliver this new vessel during a global pandemic is simply outstanding.
“The Austal Philippines team has demonstrated its ability to deliver multiple, complex projects under challenging circumstances while maintaining a safe working environment,” Paddy Gregg said.
