Written by
Nick Blenkey
Horizon X will have the ability to make the journey in between Gotland and the Swedish mainland in under 3 hours
Swedish ferryboat operator Gotlandsbolaget reports that it has actually signed a letter of intent LOI with Australian shipbuilder Austal covering the style of a 130 meter high speed multi-fuel catamaran able to run on gaseous hydrogen. Designated Gotland Horizon X, it will have the ability to take a trip at 35 knots, bring 1,650 travelers and have space for 450 automobile.
The hydrogen-fueled cat will run on Gotlandbolaget services connecting Sweden’s biggest 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 biggest ferryboat constructed by any Austal shipyard has actually been the 115-meter long high speed vehicle-passenger ferryboat Express 5 purchased by Molslinjen of Denmark at Austal Philippines
Gotlandsbolaget quotes Austal CEO Paddy Gregg as stating that the LOI validates that Austal is all set to style and build a 130-meter high-speed catamaran that can be powered by hydrogen which “will help us on the journey towards zero emissions.”
Gotlandsbolaget has actually formerly provided a principle for a larger passenger and cargo ship, Gotland Horizon, with room for 1,900 travelers and 600 cars and trucks. The strategy is for a minimum of among the Horizon ships to be in service by 2030 at the latest.
