By
Simon Johnson |
A high-speed future
According to Incat Tasmania, the future in high-speed ferry transport lies in larger, more efficient ships that operate in the 20 to 30 knot displacement speed range. Weight-saving technology and lightweight construction methods developed at Incat Tasmania over three decades can be used to produce ships with transport efficiency well above what is on the water today. The resulting higher efficiency means less energy demand and a simpler transition to alternative fuels and zero-emission ships. While electric ships are the future, a lightweight ship will always be more efficient to operate, regardless of the power and propulsion source used.
Helping ferry lines achieve sustainability goals
Incat Crowther aims to deliver meaningful solutions to help customers achieve sustainability goals, using stepping-stone technology that is commercially viable and future ready. Incat Crowther undertakes modelling of the complete ferry network to ensure it can make informed design decisions around the most applicable technology for a given operation. This operation-driven design includes timetabling to suit the technology and clientele. To protect capital investment, Incat Crowther is increasingly looking at multiple operating speed modes to accommodate numerous routes. Typically, this entails developing ferries that are designed to use plug-in electric power on shorter routes, and switch to higher energy density fuels on longer routes.
This article was first published in the Spring/Summer 2022 issue of Cruise & Ferry Review. All information was correct at the time of printing, but may since have changed.
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