Austal delivers largest aluminum vessel ever built in Philippines

Written by Nick Blenkey
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FSTR on sea trials [Image: Austal]

Austal Philippines has successfully delivered Hull 419, a 109-meter, high-speed catamaran ferry, to Fjord Line of Norway.

Named FSTR, the vessel is the largest aluminum vessel ever constructed in the Philippines — and currently the largest ferry (by volume) to be constructed by Austal at any of its shipyards worldwide.

Capable of transporting 1,200 passengers at up to 40 knots, FSTR features Austal’s largest ever vehicle-carrying capacity constructed to date, with a beam of 30.5 meters enabling 404 cars to be carried across two decks.

The ship features several key design innovations that enhance operating performance and passenger comfort, including a new, optimized hull form that will minimize fuel consumption and wake wash when operating on the Skagerrak Sea between Hirtshals, Denmark, and Kristiansand, Norway.

TWO MORE TO FOLLOW

At the vessel handover held at the Balamban Cebu shipyard, Austal Philippines President Wayne Murray said the delivery of FSTR was just the first of three large high-speed ferries to be constructed at the company’s newly expanded shipyard.

“With the delivery of FSTR, we’re now preparing for the launch of Hull 395, Bañaderos Express; a 118 meter trimaran ferry under construction for Fred. Olsen Express of the Canary Islands. Following closely behind that, we have the 115 meter Express 5 under construction for Molslinjen of Denmark,” Murray said. “We’ve just delivered the largest high-speed ferry ever built in the Philippines and in fact, the largest high-speed ferry built by any Austal shipyard, anywhere in the world. And soon, we will do it again, when we complete Express 5 for Molslinjen. We are indeed a record setting and record breaking shipyard.”

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