By
Alex Smith |
Austal Australasia is to design and construct a 130-metre combined cycle, ‘hydrogen-ready’ vehicle passenger ferry, after the shipbuilder secured a contract valued between AU$265 million ($168 million) and AU$275 million ($174 million) from Swedish operator Gotlandsbolaget.
The high-speed ro-pax catamaran is part of Gotlandsbolaget Horizon X modernisation programme and will be the largest vessel ever constructed by Austal. It will feature a combined cycle propulsion system that includes both gas and steam turbines, making it the first high-speed craft to use such a system.
“Thanks to the great collaboration between Gotland Tech Development and Austal, we can now move forward in supplementing our existing fleet of larger passenger and cargo vessels with a high-speed, multi fuel-catamaran, which is also hydrogen-ready,” said Håkan Johansson, CEO of Gotlandsbolaget. “Horizon X is not only designed for speed and efficiency but also for sustainability, as it incorporates cutting-edge green technology, including a hydrogen-ready, highly efficient gas turbine propulsion system.
The Horizon X catamaran will be the first high-speed craft to feature a combined cycle propulsion system
The catamaran will have capacity for up to 1,500 passengers, cargo and 400 vehicles. It will be designed by Austal, with construction at the Austal Phillipines shipyard beginning in the first half of 2026. Green aluminium, produced using energy efficient processes and technologies that create less carbon dioxide emissions, will be used to build the ship, with construction scheduled to be completed in mid-2028. The ferry will then operate between the Swedish mainland and the island of Gotland.
“Horizon X is an incredibly exciting project that is going to re-define commercial ferry capabilities, with a multi-fuel and hydrogen-capable combined cycle powerplant and a class-leading, efficient hull design,” said Paddy Gregg, CEO of Austal. “The flexible fuel technology demonstrated in Horizon X is leading the transition to decarbonisation of commercial ferries, and we’re proud to be at the forefront, partnering with Gotlandsbolaget, to deliver this industry-leading new ferry.”
Austal and Gotlandsbolaget first announced plans for the development of the ferry design in April 2023. Since then, Austal and Gotland Tech Development, a part of Gotlandsbolaget, have engaged with technology providers from around the world to select preferred main equipment and to define system arrangements. This included the development of the unique propulsion system arrangement that repurposes engine exhaust to contribute to vessel propulsion and reduce emissions.
In October 2024, the project gained approval in principle from nautical classification society DNV, with the vessel design being confirmed as complying in principle with regulations relating to gas-fuelled ship installations (hydrogen) and the International Code of Safety of Ships Using Gases or Other Low Flashpoint Fuels.
“This vessel is a key step in our strategy to achieve climate-neutral operations, utilising lightweight green aluminium and advanced hydrodynamic design to minimise fuel consumption and emissions,” said Johansson. “Serving the island of Gotland and the Swedish mainland in a climate and environmentally responsible way is at the heart of our mission, and Horizon X represents a significant milestone in that journey.”