It's been a busy few month for Taylor Marine Major Projects team as they put the final touches to a number of high profile vessels being exported by Australia's leading shipyards.
The Austal Auto Express 109 is the largest commercial ferry (by volume) the company has ever built at its shipyard in Henderson, Australia. Construction of the A$109 million vehicle passenger ferry ‘Express 4’, commenced in 2017 for Molslinjen, using an enhanced design based on Austal’s proven catamaran platform, but with a new optimised hull shape and vessel weight minimisation solution to deliver better performance and greater fuel efficiency.
Fitted with top of the range Furuno navigation and communication systems, supplied and installed by Taylor Marine Major Projects Division, the 109m vessel can carry up to 1,000 tonnes, and is capable of transporting more than 1,000 passengers and 425 cars. It will operate at speeds up to 40 knots and during testing achieved a top speed of 47.8 knots (88km/hour). Powered by four MAN engines that produce more power combined (36mW) than the Australian Ord River hydro power plant (30mW). The official delivery of ‘Express 4' to Molslinjen marks the start of a 27-day voyage from Henderson to its home port in Odden in Denmark, via Sri Lanka, the Suez Canal and Malta. The vessel is expected to commence regular ferry services in the Kattegat Sea from mid-March 2019.