First LNG fast ferry goes to South America
Incat 069 – now revealed to be for Buquebus
Australian shipbuilder Incat Tasmania has at last announced that Buquebus is the customer that ordered its first high speed ro-pax ferry to be powered by LNG.
In what must have been one of the industry’s worst-kept secrets, the 99m LNG-fuelled ship was contracted by South American company Buquebus in November 2010, but for commercial reasons Buquebus requested that its identity be kept under wraps. The company has now announced that it will operate the vessel on its River Plate service between Buenos Aires, Argentina and Montevideo in Uruguay.
The yet to be named vessel is under construction at the Incat shipyard at Prince of Wales Bay at Hobart in Tasmania, Australia. Delivery is anticipated for the Southern hemisphere spring of 2012. The vessel will be the first installation of LNG powered dual fuel engines in an Incat high speed ferry, and is believed to be the first high speed craft built under the HSC code to be powered by gas turbines using LNG as the primary fuel and marine distillate for standby and ancillary use.
Hull 069, with capacity for over 1000 passengers and 153 cars has a projected lightship speed of 53 knots, and an operating speed of 50 knots. Crossing the River Plate at high speed will allow the ferry service to compete with airline traffic between Uruguay and Argentina.
Incat Chairman Robert Clifford says: "Incat is excited about this project as it represents a significant step in the global move for natural gas powered ships to replace those operated with less environmentally friendly fuels.”
Incat says that it is pleased to be building this ship, hull 069, for a repeat customer. Hull 069 will be the eighth Incat has built for Buquebus and its associated companies over a 20 year period.
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