Australian-based ship building company Austal Limited has received an order to design and construct a passenger catamaran ferry for French Polynesia’s ferry operator SNC Aremiti.
This Austal design features seating capacity for 620 passengers and garage space for up to 30 motorbikes, small vehicles and cargo. With a top speed of 36 knots it will be fitted with Austal’s Ride Control System to improve seakeeping on the Papeete – Moorea route in French Polynesia.
The vessel will be designed in Australia and construction of the vessel will commence at Austal Philippines during 2018, with delivery scheduled for July 2019.
The new 49-metre high-speed vessel would be built under an AUD 30 million (USD 23.4 million) contract. The ferry will be the fifth unit Austal has delivered to French Polynesia since 2002.
Austal has previously designed and built four vessels for the parent of SNC Aremiti, Groupe Degage, comprising two 69-metre monohull cruise ships, a 56-metre vehicle passenger catamaran ferry, and an 80-metre vehicle passenger catamaran ferry.
“This order from SNC Aremiti caps off an incredibly successful year for our international commercial ferry business. We have added eight new vessels, worth more than AUD 380 million, to our order book in the past 12 months,” Ben Marland, Austal VP Sales & Marketing, said.
Image Courtesy: Austal