VIDEO: Incat Tasmania high-speed catamaran is on its way to South Korea

Written by Nick Blenkey
Incat Tasmania high speed catamaran on sea trials

Incat Tasmania high speed catamaran El Dorado Express on sea trials

Incat Tasmania has handed over the 76 meter El Dorado Express to its new owner, South Korea’s Daezer Ferry. The high speed passenger catamaran left Hobart, Tasmania, on the afternoon of 22nd May on delivery voyage from Hobart to Pohang under the control of her new Korean crew, with an Incat electronics technician and mechanical engineer on board. El Dorado will re-fuel at Gladstone, Port Moresby and Davao in the Philippines before arriving at Pohang, where it will serve on the crossing to Ulleung, an island 117 nautical miles off the eastern coast of South Korea.

Reflecting the requirements of its owners, the new ferry, Incat Hull 099, is predominately a passenger craft with ramp and cargo space forward.

Incat is no stranger to the Korean market having delivered its first vessel to the region in 1995, the still highly regarded Sunflower.

“The Sunflower served Ulleung island for 25 years and was only recently retired by Daezer in compliance with Korean ship age limits,” says Incat Tasmania chairman Robert Clifford.

The El Dorado Express will provide passengers with a smooth ride and enhanced onboard experience thanks to Incat’s well-proven evolved wave-piercing hullform and center-bow arrangement.

Designed by Revolution Design the El Dorado Express puts the fast in fast-ferry, reaching an impressive speed of 50.2 knots on sea trials with 100 tonnes deadweight.

New Incat Tasmania high-speed catamaran on sea trials

On board this latest Incat high-speed catamaran, passengers can enjoy ample natural light in a high-quality interior featuring comfortable seating, durable timber-look walkways and tasteful bulkhead paneling. Seating is on two decks: Tier 1 for tourist passengers and Tier 2 for both Business and VIP classes.

The aft end of Tier 2 offers 92 luxurious Eknes Pacific Sleeper-1400 VIP seats. Dividing the VIP area from the forward-facing Business lounge, with 352 Eknes Supa Nova reclining seats, is a bar serving food and snacks. A services block houses male and female toilets as well as the lower wheelhouse electronics room.

The remainder of the vessel’s seating is found on the lower deck. The space is divided by a centrally located kiosk, food preparation area and bar with wide counter area allowing customers easy viewing and access while preventing crowding and long lines. At the aft end of Tier 1, a room is provided for passengers wishing to travel with their pets. A well-appointed crew mess divides the pet room from a patient room, provided for the benefit of patient transfer from the island to the mainland.

Evacuation facilities for passengers and crew on board El Dorado Express comprise four Liferaft Systems Australia Marine Evacuation Stations, two port and two starboard.

As with all large Incat vessels the superstructure, Tier 2 and above, is an independent structure, connected to the hull via rubber isolation mounts, for optimum noise and vibration performance.

Forward of the Tourist cabin on Tier 1 is the 190 square meter cargo space with wide side loading access for palletized goods. For cyclists there is ample bicycle rack storage.

Situated atop the passenger deck, El Dorado Express’s wheelhouse features the latest navigation, monitoring, and control equipment. The vessel offers views from raised helm seating, with all instruments fitted in dark gray and black consoles to aid night vision and minimize distraction. For docking, wing station controls are provided. A separate ship’s office and lounge is located aft of the bridge where crew can lay-out charts, plan voyages or relax from day-to-day activities.

High levels of operability are key, as is evident n in El Dorado Express’s spacious machinery rooms. The craft is equipped with four Caterpillar C280-16 engines which each deliver 6,000 kW at 100% MCR. Each engine drives a steerable Kongsberg Kamewa S90-4 waterjet via a Reintjes VLJ 4431 gearbox.

Supplying electrical power are two Caterpillar C7.1 generators rated at 200 ekW each and 380V, 60Hz.

El Dorado Express – Principal Particulars

  • Builder: Incat Tasmania Pty Ltd
  • Design: Revolution Design Pty Ltd
  • Class: DNV +1A1 HSLC R1 Ferry EO
  • Operator: Daezer Ferry
  • Route: Ulleung – Pohang
  • Length: 76.7 meters
  • Breadth: 20.6 meters
  • Draft: 3.02 meters
  • Gross Tonnage : 3,158 GT
  • Deadweight: 167 tonnes
  • Passengers & crew: 990
  • Cargo: 25 tonnes
  • Main engines: 4 x Caterpillar C280-16
  • Speed: 50.2 Knots @ 100% MCR @ 100 tonnes deadweight
General arrangement of Incat Tasmania high speed catamaran
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