130m hydrogen-ready catamaran to decarbonise high-speed ferry service
A 130-metre ‘hydrogen-ready’ catamaran is under development, with the capacity to transport up to 1,500 passengers with their cargo alongside 400 vehicles. Australian firm Austal has been given a contract worth between A$265m and A$275m (£134m and £138m) to develop the vessel by Gotlandsbolaget, which operates Swedish ferry services. The high-speed catamaran, dubbed Horizon X, will be the largest vessel ever constructed by Austal and feature a combined cycle propulsion system that includes both gas and steam turbines. This is a first for high-speed craft such as this, Austal says. The craft is part of the long road to ultimately decarbonise commercial ferries to meet net zero goals for the maritime sector. Horizon X will be built at Austal’s Philippines shipyard in the first half of…