Austal to build 109 m high speed cat for Mols-Linien

JUNE 23, 2016 — Austal Limited (Austal) (ASX: ASB) has secured another significant order for its Henderson, Western Australia, shipyard.

Worth about A$100 million (about US$74 million) the contract covers design and construction of a 109 m vehicle passenger (RoPax) ferry for Mols Linien A/S (Mols) (OMX: MOLS) of Denmark.

It is Austal’s fourth new commercial ferry contract in the past month.

The 109 metre RoPax ferry will be the largest commercial ferry built by Austal since 2011 and is an enhanced design based on Austal’s proven catamaran platform, with a new optimized hull shape and vessel weight minimization solution that delivers better performance and greater fuel efficiency, enabling Mols Linien to achieve lower operating costs and deliver an enhanced passenger experience.

The first-in-class vessel will be the first built by Austal to feature two full vehicle decks for 425 cars, or 610 lane m,for trucks and up to 232 cars.

With a capacity to carry up to 1,006 passengers, the all-aluminum catamaran will achieve speeds up to 40 knots.Austal Chief Executive Officer David Singleton said: “Once again Austal has demonstrated that it is a world leader in ship design and construction with the sale of this newly optimized class of very large 109 m ferry to a highly discerning customer. We are continuing to innovate by investing in our designs and our manufacturing capability, which has led to this reference customer sale.”

Austal’s Australian shipbuilding operations are anticipated to engage more than 350 local design, production and project management employees in the delivery of the Mols contract.

Mols-Linien says the new super ferry will be named KatExpress 4 and will be delivered at the turn of 2018/2019. It says it has secured an option from Austal for a second ferry of the same size.

“Austal is one of the largest shipyards on the fast field and we look forward to cooperation on the newbuilding, which is designed and optimized for our use,” says Mols-Linien administrative director Søren Jespersen.