Newbuild will offer 90-minute crossings between Malta and Sicily following her 2018 delivery
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Incat Tasmania is to build a new 110m ro-pax ferry for Virtu Ferries, which operates fast-ferry services primarily in Malta.
The new wave-piercing catamaran is the 15th fast-ferry Virtu has acquired and will be the largest high-speed catamaran in the Mediterranean. It will offer 90-minute crossings between Malta and Sicily, operating at a service speed of up to 38 knots.
Designed by Revolution Design and Seaspeed Consulting, the ferry will feature 1,134 seats, including 996 inside and 138 outside. This will increase Virtu Ferries’ passenger capacity by 15%, car capacity by 7% and truck capacity by 43%.
Incat will start construction at its Hobart, Tasmania yard in early 2017 and is expected to deliver the ferry at the end of 2018.
“Virtu Ferries is amongst the oldest, most respected and most discerning fast-ferry operators in the world, they operate a variety of high-speed craft services throughout the Mediterranean and Adriatic,” said Robert Clifford, chairman of Incat Tasmania. “This vessel is intended for their year-round lifeline service between Malta and European Union which is an immense responsibility to the people of the islands served. Virtu Ferries was looking for increased reliability, seakeeping, passenger comfort, capacity and economy with less operational downtime, we are pleased to welcome the company to the Incat family of shipowners.”
Flying the Maltese flag, the new ferry will be built to DNV-GL classification society rules and comply with IMO High Speed Craft HSC 2000, the Malta Flag statutory requirements and Italian Port State requirements.
“We simply want to provide our passengers and freight operators with the highest levels of service, reliability and comfort yet at the same time operate an economical and environmentally sustainable high-speed service,” said Francis Portelli, Virtu Ferries’ chairman and owner. “As this project has evolved over more than 12 months we have enjoyed an excellent cooperative working relationship with Incat, Revolution Design and Seaspeed Marine where they have listened to our particular requirements and continually evolved the design to a point where we are confident that we will be delivered a fantastic vessel suited not only to our requirements but the design is suited to many other island communities around the world.”