AUSTRALIAN marine engineering company Incat Crowther is partnering with a US shipyard to deliver a new ferry for the US Virgin Islands.
Incat Crowther is designing 32-metre-long ferry and Louisiana-based Gulf Craft will build it.
The new ferry would service the tourist and commuter route between Red Hook on the island of St Thomas, and Cruz Bay on the island of St John.
There are currently two other Incat Crowther-designed 28-metre vessels servicing this route.
Incat Crowther USA managing director Grant Pecoraro said the company’s Caribbean footprint is growing.
“Incat Crowther has a proven track record of designing and delivering tailored passenger ferries for operators throughout the Caribbean,” he said.
“We are pleased to be collaborating with our longstanding partner Gulf Craft to deliver another vessel to this region.”
Mr Pecoraro said Incat Crowther’s digital design process enables the company to tailor designs for local conditions and existing dockside infrastructure.
“Our team of naval architects understand that no two routes are the same,” he said.
“It is evident that the two existing Incat Crowther ferries which have been successfully servicing this route for over a decade provided confidence to the US Virgin Island government to again select an Incat Crowther vessel to service the local community in the future.”
The new ferry will be designed to have capacity for 300 passengers and travel at speeds of up to 28 knots.
The vessel would be fitted with new diesel engine emission control technologies.
Incat Crowther is also planning to design a wheelhouse with 360-degree visibility and wing helm stations for safe docking.
