Incat Hull 091 Launched

[TonyMWeaver]

Incat Tasmania has launched a new 111-metre ferry from the shipyard at Hobart’s Prince of Wales Bay.

The ship, named Volcan de Tagoro (Incat Hull 091) and in the distinctive red Naviera Armas livery, was launched on the high tide at 6.30 pm Saturday 15th June.  Sea trials for the vessel are scheduled to commence in the first week of July.

Being outside the shipyard will allow Incat’s engineering team to start engines and generators, commission all the machinery items and install roof mounted radars and other equipment.

Naviera Armas SA will operate the vessel on Spanish routes, including the Canary Islands.  The company has an extensive fleet of vessels, and Volcan de Tagoro will be the fifth Incat vessel operating in the Armas fleet, however is their first newbuild from Incat Tasmania. The ship’s crew will soon arrive from Spain to observe the vessel operation during trials in readiness for departure to her new Spanish home later in July.

Volcan de Tagoro has capacity for 1200 persons, including crew, and the expansive vehicle deck allows for almost 600 TLM (truck lane metres) plus 219 cars, or in car-only mode accommodates 401 cars.   The ship is powered by four MAN 20V diesel engines driving Wartsila waterjets, and although speed trials have not yet been conducted, Incat predicts the vessel will have a top speed in excess of 40 knots.

Incat CEO Tim Burnell said “The contract, in excess of A$100 million, has been keeping more than 600 Incat employees busy for the past two years. This is the second large wave piercing catamaran to be launched at the Prince of Wales Bay site in just six months, following the December 2018 launch of Virtu Ferries 110‑metre vessel, and we are very proud of the excellent workmanship and product we are about to deliver”.

Incat is continuing construction of three other vessels at the shipyard; the next launch later this year will be a 35‑metre commuter ferry for service between Geelong and Docklands in Melbourne, followed by a 100-metre ship for Trinidad and Tobago in 2020 and another 111-metre ship for a European operator in 2021.

Incat has also signed a contract for construction of a 130‑metre vessel for South American operator Buquebus and design work is well advanced on that ship.

[hf_uk]

That is one ugly mother ;-)

[Fine Whine]

 

Here's a photo of her sister operating between Malta and Sicily - the bow isn't as pretty as the NeX but she looks better from this angle...

Chris

 

 

[jonno]

I quite like them, they remind me of something which came out of a thunderbird 2 pod... wonder what they look like in pink with a big glass dome type thingy...?

[Cabin-boy]

Thank goodness someone is still ordering these ships. Hopefully with new ones coming onstream it will mean that some of the slightly older ones reach the second hand market allowing Condor and BF to perhaps acquire more of them. If Rapide didn't exist there is no way ofe go to Jersey or Guernsey quite so often as wasting time at sea would seriously reduce the time ashore which is so important during a weekend away. Ed.

[Nick Hyde]

Cabin-boy  .... Condor have said there is no guarantee that the Rapide replacement will be a fast ferry.

[Cabin-boy]

I know and that worries me. The Rapide takes 1h25m to do the trip to Jersey whereas the old Condor 10 managed to do so in an hour. That's still OK for day trips and weekends away but if I have to spend twice as long on a classic ferry it just makes such offers unviable. I'll have to take the Manche Iles Express from Granville or Carteret and hire a car instead which will cost me more and Cabin-girl hates those smaller vessels. Ed. 

[Chef]

4 hours ago, hf_uk said:

That is one ugly mother ;-)

And imagine it doing 40 kts .

[hf_uk]

15 hours ago, Fine Whine said:

 

Here's a photo of her sister operating between Malta and Sicily - the bow isn't as pretty as the NeX but she looks better from this angle...

Chris

 

 

Agreed a better angle Chris... but I cannot see how those bridge wings can be of much use, apart from the very ends. that 'tunnel' going out must only have a view of the huge white flat expanse infront, with an angle of about 9 or 10 degrees to see things WAY in front of the bow. Seems off they couldnt make more use by putting them a little higher, or forward. 

[Cabin-boy]

13 minutes ago, hf_uk said:

but I cannot see how those bridge wings can be of much use, apart from the very ends

Surely the 'very ends' are why she has them! To see where the ship is positioned in relation to the quay. As for the 'tunnel', if it were any higher it would obstruct the view to the rear from the main bridge which is slightly raised up. They probably also contribute to the airflow over the top deck to carry the exhaust gasses up and away from the outer rear decks. Ed. 

[hf_uk]

On 19/06/2019 at 09:31, Cabin-boy said:

Surely the 'very ends' are why she has them! To see where the ship is positioned in relation to the quay. As for the 'tunnel', if it were any higher it would obstruct the view to the rear from the main bridge which is slightly raised up. They probably also contribute to the airflow over the top deck to carry the exhaust gasses up and away from the outer rear decks. Ed. 

Understood Cabin-boy. Only problem being that if someone upstairs isn't watching - you don't know a small fishing trawler is in front of you until you are on top of it!

Edited June 20 by hf_uk