New ferry between Hamburg and the island of Helgoland to sail in 2018
Profile of the 56m-long high-speed catamaran
The 56m-long vessel will carry 692 passengers in three seating categories. It will have a speed of 35 knots. The vessel will be built by Austal’s yard in the Philippines and is Austal’s sixth commercial contract in 2016 after two orders from the Philippines, and one each from China, Denmark and South Korea. The latest ferry will be used on the river Elbe between the North Sea island of Helgoland and the port of Hamburg, and the design will feature a new optimised hull that will minimise fuel consumption and reduce wake wash. It is expected construction of the ferry will start in early 2017 and it delivered in March 2018. Austal chief executive Mr David Singleton said the yard is continuing a strategy of pursuing export markets.
