Horizon X will have the ability to make the journey between Gotland and the Swedish mainland in underneath three hours
Swedish ferry operator Gotlandsbolaget reviews that it has signed a letter of intent LOI with Australian shipbuilder Austal overlaying the design of a 130 meter excessive velocity multi-fuel catamaran capable of function on gaseous hydrogen. Designated Gotland Horizon X, it is going to be capable of journey at 35 knots, carry 1,650 passengers and have house for 450 passenger automobiles.
The hydrogen-fueled cat will function on Gotlandbolaget companies linking Sweden’s largest island, Gotland in the Baltic Sea, with the Swedish mainland.
“This is an important step in our climate journey. We are working on developing the ships of the future, and in 2022 presented the second ship concept in our Horizon series, Gotland Horizon X. It is a fast-moving catamaran that will be able to run on fossil-free fuels, and which we believe will be an excellent complement to the Gotland traffic. She will be used above all during the summer months and will be able to make the trip between Gotland and the mainland in under 3 hours,” says Håkan Johansson, CEO of Gotlandsbolaget.
“The ship’s design is based on Gotland’s and our passengers’ needs to be able to travel with a short crossing time and at competitive prices, without negatively impacting the climate or the environment. In order to minimize the energy requirement and obtain a high degree of efficiency, we develop energy-efficient hulls, minimize weight, optimize energy consumers on board and streamline operations and flows throughout the vessel. Austal is a leader in the development of large catamarans and they are an excellent partner to take Horizon X forward,” says Christer Bruzelius of Gotlandsbolaget affiliate Gotland Tech Development.
Thus far, the most important ferry constructed by any Austal shipyard has been the 115-meter lengthy excessive velocity vehicle-passenger ferry Express 5 ordered by Molslinjen of Denmark at Austal Philippines
Gotlandsbolaget quotes Austal CEO Paddy Gregg as saying that the LOI confirms that Austal is able to design and construct a 130-meter high-speed catamaran that may be powered by hydrogen and that “will help us on the journey towards zero emissions.”
“Austal has developed vessel designs optimized for various fuel and propulsion technologies, including hydrogen and electricity, that offer a real choice to operators of high speed craft. We look forward to working with the Gotland Company to finalize an exciting new design of the highest standards,” Gregg added.
Gotlandsbolaget has beforehand offered an idea for a larger passenger and cargo ship, Gotland Horizon, with room for 1,900 passengers and 600 automobiles. The plan is for at the least one of many Horizon ships to be in service by 2030 on the newest.
