Austal Australia and Sweden's Gotland Company have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on the design of a high-speed catamaran called the "Gotland Horizon X".
Measuring 130 meters in length, the catamaran will be capable of running on hydrogen and other eco-friendly fuels, making it suitable for transporting up to 1,650 passengers and 450 vehicles between the Swedish mainland and the island of Gotland at speeds of up to 35 knots.
The MOU between Austal and Gotland Company outlines plans for the two companies to work together on the design of the catamaran, ensuring it can operate on both fossil and fossil-free fuels, including hydrogen. Austal sees this agreement as further evidence of its commitment to developing fast, eco-friendly ferries that are ready for the future.
Gotland Company has already presented a passenger and freight vessel with a capacity of 1,900 passengers and 600 vehicles. The company aims to have at least one of these ships in operation by 2030.
Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer Paddy Gregg said “This agreement with the Gotland Company confirms Austal is ready to finalise the design, ready for construction, of a new 130 metre, hydrogen powered, high-speed catamaran that is yet another pathway forward to net zero emissions.
“Austal has developed vessel designs optimised for various fuel and propulsion technologies, including hydrogen and electricity, that offer a real choice to operators of high speed craft. We look forward to working with the Gotland Company to finalise an exciting new design of the highest standards,” he added.
Håkan Johansson CEO of Gotland Company said “This is an important step in our climate journey. We are working on developing our future ships, and in 2022 we presented the second ship model in our Horizon series: Gotland Horizon X. This high-speed catamaran can operate on hydrogen and other fossil free fuels. The vessel will be a very good addition to the traffic between the Swedish mainland and Gotland. She will be used foremost during the summer months and make the trip to and from Gotland in under three hours.
"The ship design is based on Gotland’s, and our passengers needs to be able to travel with a short transit time to competitive prices, without burdening the climate or environment. We will develop and number of features with the goal to minimize the energy demand and ensure maximum efficiency; an optimal hull design, minimize the weight, optimize the consumed energy on board,” Mr Johannson added.
Christer Bruzelius, Head of Gotland Tech Development said “Austal is a leading company within development and productions of large catamarans and is the perfect partner in continuing the development of Gotland Horizon X.”