Austal Launches High-speed Ferry for French Polynesia's Degage Group
Shipbuilder Austal Vietnam announced Wednesday that it has launched a new high-speed catamaran built at the company’s shipyard in Vung Tau for the Degage Group of French Polynesia.
The 66-meter Apetahi Express is undergoing final fit-out, prior to sea trials which are due to commence in May. The vessel is scheduled for delivery in June 2023. The new ferry is anticipated to commence operations between Pape’ete (Tahiti) and Vaitape (Bora Bora) in French Polynesia in July 2023.
Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer Paddy Gregg said, “Austal’s latest catamaran design offers operators an impressive looking vessel that is both highly efficient and flexible, with multiple indoor and outdoor decks for passengers and a large cargo space accommodating up to 16 tonnes for high-speed inter-island transportation.”
The new Austal Passenger Express 66 catamaran features a length overall (LOA) of 66.4 meters, beam of 15.2 meters and draft of 1.8 meters. Over two passenger decks, the vessel can accommodate 574 passengers, with an additional 80 seats available on an external sun deck. Crew accommodation includes seven two-berth cabins and two single-berth cabins. The vessel has four passenger access ramps and can carry up to 16 tonnes of cargo loaded via two cranes.
Fitted with four diesel engines and four waterjets, as well as Austal’s renowned Motion Control System (including active interceptors and T-foils) and the latest MARINELINK-Connect program, the new ferry will have a contracted top speed of 35.8 knots and a range of up to 360 nautical miles (excluding a long-range tank, fitted).
Austal has previously designed and built five vessels for The Degage Group, comprising two 69-meter monohull cruise ships, a 56-meter vehicle passenger catamaran ferry, an 80-meter vehicle passenger catamaran ferry and a 49-meter vehicle passenger ferry.
