INCAT Tasmania has delivered Santa Monica 1, a 76-metre high-speed catamaran ferry for Seaworld Express of South Korea.

The vessel left Hobart on Tuesday and is currently headed to South Korea to begin operations there.

Santa Monica 1 can accommodate 621 passengers and crew and 86 cars. It achieved a maximum speed of 49.7 knots on sea trials. Contractual speed of 42 knots with 100 tonnes deadweight aboard was achieved with a margin in excess of 5 knots.

All passenger facilities are situated on one deck fitted out for 606 passengers with 72 executive seats and 98 reclining seats in the forward business class lounge, 232 seats midships and 204 seats in the aft cabin, all supplied by Beurteaux.

A services block separates the forward and midship sections and houses male and female toilets, a crew mess and a servery, food preparation area and bar. Finished with stainless steel and glass cabinets to display hot and cold meals, drinks and desserts the servery is bounded by wide corridors either side allowing customers easy viewing and access while preventing crowding and long lines.

Evacuation facilities for passengers and crew on board Santa Monica 1 comprise four Liferaft Systems Australia Marine Evacuation Stations, two port and two starboard. Each can serve up to a total of 200 persons.

The superstructure, Tier 2 and above, is an independent structure, connected to the hull via rubber isolation mounts, to reduce noise and vibration performance.

Santa Monica 1’s wheelhouse features the latest navigation, monitoring, and control equipment. A dedicated docking station, 360-degree views and CCTV deliver a high level of safety and control during voyages and docking.

The vessel offers views from raised helm seating, with all instruments fitted in dark grey and black consoles to aid night vision and minimise distraction. A separate ship’s office and lounge is located aft of the bridge where crew can lay-out charts, plan voyages or relax from day-to-day activities.

High levels of operability are key and nowhere is this more evident than in Santa Monica 1’s spacious machinery rooms. The craft is equipped with four Caterpillar C280-16 engines which each deliver 5,650kW at 100% MCR. Each engine drives a steerable Kongsberg Kamewa S90-4 waterjet via a Reintjes VLJ 4431 gearbox.

Four Caterpillar C7.1 generators rated at 200 ekW each and 380V, 60Hz, supply electrical power.