Austal confirms $170m newbuild contract for hydrogen-ready ropax for Gotlandsbolaget
- New 1,500 passenger and 400 car catamaran will operate between the Swedish mainland and the island of Gotland
- Hydrogen-ready ship to be powered by gas turbines and steam turbines
- Construction undertaken at Austal’s shipbuilding facility in the Philippines for delivery in 2028
Order follows 2023’s Memorandum of Understanding between the two parties to develop a high-speed vessel able to operate on several fuel types, including hydrogen
AUSTRALIAN shipbuilding group Austal has confirmed a signed contract for a 1,500 passenger “hydrogen-ready” ro-pax ferry.
The 130 metre long vessel has been contracted by Sweden’s Gotlandsbolaget, and will operate between the port of Visby on the island of Gotland to the Swedish mainland.
Construction of the vessel, which will also be able to load 400 cars, will be undertaken by Austal’s facility in the Philippines.
The contract is valued at about A$275m ($170m) and the vessel will be the largest ship to be built by the high-speed ferry and military vessel specialist.
Contract signing for the vessel, referred to as “Horizon X”, follows a Memorandum of Understanding signed in April 2023 by Gotlandsbolaget and Austal to develop a high-speed catamaran capable of using hydrogen and other fossil-free fuels.
The order represents part of Gotlandsbolaget’s “Horizon” project that aims to reduce the climate impact of its operations. The project also includes a plan to potentially order a large single hull, ro-pax ferry, also powered by gas turbines and to utilise fossil-free fuels.
The newbuilding is set to be delivered in mid-2028 and will feature a unique combined-cycle propulsion system, which includes both gas and steam turbines, the first-ever such application in a high-speed merchant ship.
Austal chief executive Paddy Gregg said, “The flexible fuel technology demonstrated in Horizon X is leading the transition to decarbonisation of commercial ferries, and we’re proud to be at the forefront, partnering with Gotlandsbolaget, to deliver this industry-leading new ferry.”
A spokesperson for Gotlandsbolaget said to enable the vessel to utilise hydrogen as a fuel it will be retrofitted after delivery with hydrogen tanks, associated piping and a gas mixing unit.
They told Lloyd’s List that the supply of hydrogen for the vessel is at the planning stage.
“The production and logistics of hydrogen have carefully been studied together with several energy companies. That work will continue until a cost-effective solution is found.
“One of the strengths with the multi-fuel solution is that we will be able to adapt choice of fossil-free fuel based on availability,” added the spokesperson.
