Austal’s Philippines subsidiary launches aluminium ferry

Austal Limited’s recently expanded Balamban Shipyard in Cebu, Philippines, has launched the 109m-long aluminium vehicle passenger ferry, FSTR, which is now undergoing final outfitting prior to delivery to Norway’s Fjord Line during the second quarter.

The vessel is the largest aluminium vessel to be built in the Philippines and the largest by volume ever constructed by Austal. It is also the first ship to be built at the Balamban Shipyard’s expanded production facilities which were opened in July 2019. The 40-knot FSTR has capacity for 1,200 passengers and 404 cars stowed on two decks.

David Singleton, Austal CEO, commented: “This impressive new ship for Fjord Line of Norway is the first of many large, high-speed commercial ferries to be constructed at our new expanded shipyard. We have a 118m trimaran under construction [and] we also have a 115m catamaran ferry scheduled for later this year, ensuring continuity of production at the Philippines shipyard well into the 2020s.”