Australian high speed vessel yard Incat Tasmania has been awarded a contract to build a new fast ferry for Daezer Construction of South Korea, with delivery scheduled for the first quarter of 2023.
The high speed ferry will operate for Daezer between Pohang and Ulleung, an island 117 naut miles off the eastern coast of South Korea where the main economic activity is tourism. With a capacity for 990 passengers and crew plus 248m2 of cargo, it will travel at up to about 45 knots. Incat has previously built vessels for South Korea, the first vessel being hull 037, Sunflower, in 1995.
Incat Tasmania Chairman Robert Clifford said: “Sunflower served Ulleung island for 25 years and was only recently retired by Daezer in compliance with South Korean ship age limits. This new craft will benefit from Incat’s evolved tried and proven hullform, with its new bow arrangement and will lead the local market in terms of seakeeping for vessels of its size. The 76m is expected to be a successful model for the future with the first of this type due for delivery to another South Korean operator, SeaWorld Express Ferries, at the end of March this year.”
Incat Tasmania CEO Tim Burnell said: “At Incat we are fortunate to have the best quality, most highly experienced workforce in the global fast ferry industry and we are pleased to add this new vessel to those recently delivered to our customers around the world.”
