By
Alex Smith |
Ferry shipbuilder Incat Tasmania is to construct a shipbuilding facility at a newly acquired site in Tasmania that will allow the company to double its current shipbuilding capacity and workforce.
Incat has acquired a 12-hectare portion of the Norske Skog Boyer Mill site in Tasmania’s Derwent Valley for the construction of a 240 by 120 metre facility, which will be capable of building three large ships at one time.
“Incat is leading the industry by building the world’s largest electric ferry, and our goal over the next 5-10 years is to build on that success and produce multiple electric ships for the global market while expanding our workforce,” said Stephen Casey, CEO of Incat Tasmania. “The new production facility is vital for us to achieve that.”
Once completed, the new facility will begin construction of the hulls and decks for Incat’s vessels, before the structure is transported down the River Derwent to the shipbuilder’s existing shipyard in Prince of Wales Bay. This process will enable the production of more ships per year, according to Incat, as it aims to meet growing global demand for electric-powered ferries.
“Incat has been at the forefront of maritime innovation for more than four decades and the purchase of this site marks a new period of significant growth for the company,” said Robert Clifford, chairman of Incat. “I predict more than 1000 new sustainable ships will be needed to satisfy the global market over the next decade. Incat is one of the few shipyards in the world capable of constructing large, lightweight, electric ships to meet that demand.”
The new site will be prepared for the construction of the new production facility in the next few months, with vessel construction set to begin at the facility in 2026.