Australian high speed craft specialist Incat Tasmania is breaking new ground with its latest high speed catamaran, a 76 metre fast ferry for Seaworld Express Ferry of South Korea.
Incat says that this new 76 metre vessel will be the high-speed craft market frontrunner in terms of economy, seakeeping, and comfort for vessels of its size.
Virtu Ferries confirmed to Ferry Shipping News to have signed a Letter of Intent with Seachange for their Foil 40 electric ropax hydrofoil with plans to start operating the vessel between both Valletta (Malta) and Pozzallo (Italy), and between Valletta and Gozo.
Manufactured from carbon composite, the fully electric Foil 40 by Seachange will be the first hydrofoil capable of carrying both passengers and vehicles. The 40-meter vessel with a capacity for 250 passengers and 200 lane metres for vehicles and freight, will sail at a speed of 45 knots.
The first Foil 40 vessel is expected to be in service by 2025.
With 6m long struts lifting the hulls out of the water, and advanced control algorithms, the Foil 40 will allow for sailings in sea conditions with a swell of up to five meters, offering great seakeeping and a smooth ride.
A prototype 24m version of the Foil 40, which is already under construction, is set to start o operation in 2023 on the Cook Strait between the North and South Islands of New Zealand.
Sicily Region has received no offers following the tender officially launched some weeks ago for finding shipyards interested in building a first new ropax vessel to be deployed on the routes to and from Lampedusa and Pantelleria islands.
A first tender launched last year already failed at finding interested parties for building two units.
Tender price had been increased to EUR 100 million for one vessel (of which 4.5 million are a fixed value related to safety equipment), while last year the same contract was worth EUR 130 million for two units.
As a consequence, the plan of the Sicily Region to have a first unit ready for deployment before the summer season 2024 will have to be reviewed.
Levante Ferries recently revealed SMYRNA DI LEVANTE’s (former KOPERNIK/1977) modern profile. The ferry was purchased in April 2019 and is currently undergoing a complete overhaul, a major technological upgrade, as well as a complete remodeling and renovation of her interiors (see our presentation).
She will be introduced soon on the Thessaloniki-Izmir line, offering the well-known quality service and safety standards of Levante Ferries.
Holland Norway Lines officially kicked off the first departure of ROMANTIKA to Kristiansand and the opening of the new terminal in Eemshaven on Thursday April 7.
The kick-off was attended by, among others, King’s Commissioner René Paas, mayor of the Hogeland Henk Jan Bolding and Cas König of Groningen.
Holland Norway Lines is a local start-up with a Groningen signature. It invests in good and long-term partnerships with involved parties such as the municipality and province, administrators, Groningen Seaports, customs etc.
In addition, the organization strives to collaborate as much as possible with local parties, suppliers and staff from the region. For example, HNL works together with MF Shipping Group from Farmsum, Columbia Signature GmbH from Hamburg, M+ Kassa from Leeuwarden, Broekman Agency Eemshaven, Kollektiv Media & PR from Groningen and students from regional schools.
The cruise-ferry service has ambitious plans. For example, it wants to work towards two ships that will sail emission-free in 2026-2027.
Rendering: C-Job