Austal's 43 Metre Catamaran Impresses
A radically new and striking appearance are the first impressions of Western Australian Shipbuilder Austal Ships' most recent delivery, a very fast and stylish 43 metre catamaran aptly called "Speeder" - the company's flagship to Japan.
Built for Diamond Ferry Ltd of Japan, a subsidiary of the giant shipping group Mitsui OSK, the 331 passenger, 42.5 knot catamaran will operate in the Inland Sea of Japan between the cities of Oita on Kyushu Island and Matsayama on Shikoku Island, completing the journey in two hours. The vessel will be officially handed over to Diamond Ferry at the end of May 1995.
Apart from being the fastest catamaran that the company has ever built, she represents Austal's first sale to Japan and is also the first Australian built high speed ferry destined for regular commuter service in Japan. With a combination of style, technology and performance Austal is excited by its potential.
"We are honoured to have been able to build Diamond Ferry simply one of the best vessels we have ever produced, and this vessel is very clearly our ambassador to Japan," said chairman and Managing Director of Austal Ships, John Rothwell.
As is increasingly necessary in the fast ferry market, speed coupled with passenger comfort are prime considerations according to Austal's Marketing Manager, Chris Pemberton.
"Speeder" provides both a fully laden service speed of 42.5 knots and is fitted with the fully computerised "Ocean Leveller" stabilising system to provide optimal passenger comfort during high speed transit, said Mr Pemberton.
"During performance trials in a light condition, the vessel easily reached a cruising speed of 45 knots while providing an armchair ride," he said.
The main propulsion system is 4 x MTU 16V386TE74L diesel engines each developing 1960 kW at 1940 rpm driving KaMeWa 63Sllwaterjets through ZF BW755 gearboxes. The principal dimensions of the vessel are an overall length of 43.0 metres, beam of 11.2 metres and a draft of 1.3 metres.
Equally impressive as the vessel's striking exterior and performance, great emphasis has been placed on interior design and attention to detail. The spacious passenger saloons on two airconditioned decks have a light and airy presence whilst the warmth of wood panelling greets passengers as they enter the upstairs first class saloon. This upper deck saloon seats 33 passengers in reclining backrest chairs in a choice of group or individual seating.
The remaining seats on the main deck are configured in a 3-4-4-3 arrangement with comfortable modular lounge seating located aft. Panoramic windows, coordinated colour scheme and choice of seating fabric design add to the feeling of comfort and elegance throughout the vessel.
Overhead enclosed luggage racks, video entertainment and rounded wall moulding, are just some of the elements that make travelling on the catamaran a practical as well as visual pleasure. Passengers will even be presented with a video display of vessel position on a moving map display as is typical of many flights today.
Client requirements for self-service vending machines meant the layout familiar to Austal's successful 40 metre ferries were not needed. A crew lounge is located forward on the bridge deck.
The wheelhouse layout provides a highly efficient and practical arrangement of instruments ergonomically positioned for user-friendly efficiency for the captain and crew. Sophisticated night vision, navigational equipment and closed circuit monitoring feature in the comprehensively equipped bridge.
The "Ocean Leveller" display panel is positioned in front of the helmsman. Once activated, the fully automatic system requires no further input by the crew. The system incorporates a high speed monitoring and control algorithm which constantly monitors and optimises vessel motion which is adjusted accordingly through a combination of fins on the inside of the bows and flaps at the stern. Studies conducted by Austal have demonstrated that the system produces a reduction in a vessel's vertical motion by around 50%, greatly reducing the incidence of motion sickness amongst passengers.
