Spanish shipbuilder Astilleros Gondan has launched the first vessel from a batch of four GRP eco fast ferries for shipping company Baleària.
Launched on November 3 at the facilities of the shipyard’s GRP division, the ferry is scheduled to join its owner at the end of the year.
The 28-meter-long vessels, which will be capable of carrying 350 passengers, have been designed focusing on eco-efficiency, comfort and speed during navigation. They will be named Eco AQUA, Eco TERRA, Eco AIRE and Eco LUX.
The ferries will feature a wave-piercing bow which displaces water towards the side tunnels in order to maintain speed and reduce wave slamming. They will have a maximum speed of 28 knots.
Astilleros Gondan informed that the units have photovoltaic solar panels, which supply the necessary energy for onboard services, as well as 1450 hp diesel engines, which minimize emissions of polluting gases.
These catamarans, which will be finished between the end of this year and the middle of 2018, are designed to be able to operate in the different short distance trips that the shipping company makes in the Balearic Islands, the shipbuilder informed.