Austal and Gotlandsbolaget to construct gas turbine-powered high-speed catamaran

Austal and Gotlandsbolaget of Sweden have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop a construction contract for the Gotland Horizon X catamaran concept.

Gotland Horizon X is a high-speed aluminum catamaran that will use gas turbines in a combined cycle to transport up to 1,450 passengers, cargo and vehicles between the Swedish mainland and the island of Gotland.

While the companies first signed a letter of intent to develop the vehicle in April 2023, the terms of the new MOU and proposed construction contract confirm that the high-speed catamaran will be designed by Austal and constructed at the Austal Philippines shipyard.

Going forward, Austal will use Austal’s proprietary DeepMorpher AI technology to further develop and finalize an energy-efficient hull that minimizes energy requirements and optimizes seakeeping. Through ongoing collaboration between Austal, Gotland Tech Development and supply chain partners, the design team is continuing to confirm and optimize various attributes of the vessel, including power, load capacity and speed.

Paddy Gregg, CEO of Austal, said, “Austal is ready to deliver a catamaran that is not only the largest, longest and most technologically advanced ferry design developed by the company but also enables Gotlandsbolaget to achieve their climate-neutral emissions targets.

“Gotland Horizon X is an incredibly exciting project that is going to redefine commercial ferry capabilities, with a multi-fuel- and hydrogen-capable combined cycle powerplant and a class-leading, efficient hull design, leading the transition to decarbonisation of commercial ferries.

“This MOU further strengthens our commitment to Gotlandsbolaget to deliver a high-speed catamaran that meets climate-neutral emissions targets, while also providing an exceptional customer experience for passengers.”

Håkan Johansson, CEO of Gotlandbolaget, said, “Thanks to the developments made by our team at Gotland Tech Development in collaboration with Austal, we can now move forward in supplementing our existing fleet of larger passenger and cargo vessels with a high-speed catamaran.

“We are diligently working on producing an attractive and winning tender to maintain responsibility for operating the ferry route between Gotland and the (Swedish) mainland. We are convinced that a high-speed catamaran can significantly enhance the traffic. Our primary focus is on securing the route contract, but even if we are unsuccessful, the new catamaran could still play a relevant role for both us and Gotlandstrafiken. Serving Gotland and the mainland is part of our DNA, and we plan to continue to do so.”

The introduction of this multi-fuel low emission-powered catamaran is integral to achieving Gotlandsbolaget’s goal of climate-neutral crossings between Gotland and the mainland by 2045, at the latest.

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