- Austal has received a $136 million contract for the design and construction of a 115 metre high-speed boat for a Danish company
- Construction of the vessel will begin in the third quarter of 2020 with delivery set for the first quarter of 2022
- The vessel will be able to hold over 1600 passengers and 450 cars — making it the largest vessel ever built by Austal
- Austal’s share price is up 1.23 per cent today with shares trading for $4.12 apiece
Austal has received a $136 million contract for the design and construction of a 115 metre high-speed catamaran.
This order for Molslinjen of Denmark, a Danish ferry company, is a follow-up to the 109 metre high-speed catamaran, Express 4, delivered to Molslinjen in January 2019.
The new Auto Express 115 will be the largest ferry (by volume) ever built by Austal.
This vessel will be fitted with a new generation of medium speed engines that are LNG (liquefied natural gas) compatible and is designed with the potential to upgrade the LNG fuel in the future.
Construction will begin in the third quarter of 2020 and delivery of the vessel will be in the first quarter of 2022.
CEO David Singleton said the new order from Molslinjen has confirmed Austal’s continuing competitiveness and leadership in the high-speed ferry design, construction, and technology market.
“With this new order, Austal has once again demonstrated a clear capability to offer the best, most advanced high speed ferries, cost competitively, reliably and to the highest quality,” David said.
“Express 5 will provide Molslinjen with a truly exciting high speed craft that will deliver a unique customer experience,” he added.
The vessel will include capacity for 1610 passengers, space for 450 cars, and an operating service speed close to 37 knots.
With this new contract, Austal’s Auto Express vehicle-passenger ferry portfolio has expanded to include over 30 catamaran and trimaran hull designs ranging from 49 to 127 metres in length.
The Auto Express platform will feature Austal’s proprietary Motion Control and MARINELINK-Smart system.
The system optimises assets by integrating the on-board sensor software and hardware system with a continuous vessel support service.
It uses machine learning to advise operators on the optimum asset configuration to cut through-life costs and maximise vessel availability.
Austal’s share price is up slightly today with shares trading for $4.13 apiece at market close.