US NAVY'S - Incat

In 1965, the route received
its first car ferry, the 867
deadweight tonnes Holyhead
Ferry 1. Powered by oil-fired
steam turbines she consumed
12,600 litres of fuel per crossing.
Capacity was 1000 passengers
and 150 cars.
In 1977 the larger 1945
deadweight tonnes St Columba
came along, her diesels burning
around 9,600 litres of fuel per
crossing at a speed of 19.5
knots. Intensive running with four
sailings per day were offered,
the ship having capacity for
litres a crossing, times were halved and with capacity for 450 passengers and 88
cars the craft operated with a crew of just 20, a fraction of that carried by the
conventional ships.
In 2009, a 1000-1450 deadweight tonnes 112 metre with capacity for 1200
passengers and 417 cars can comfortably offer up to four round trips per day,
with scope to offer five round trips if required, burning around 10,500 tonnes of
fuel per crossing at speeds of around 35 knots.
But what about the large medium speed Ro-pax vessels we hear you say! On
the same route a modern Ro-pax burns around 18,000 litres per crossing. Well yes,
they can carry 3,500 metres of freight in addition to passengers, but that is, after
all, a very different market.
So, as the above clearly demonstrates, efficient Incat high speed Wave Piercing
Catamarans are not the so called ‘gas guzzlers’ many would claim them to be.
58 nautical miles Irish Sea crossing
2400 passengers and 335 cars.
In 1993, the route’s first High
Speed ferry, the first generation
200 deadweight tonnes Incat
HSS Up to 1500 passengers: 22,000* - 30,000
litres of fuel per crossing.
Incat 112m Up to 1500 passengers: approximately 10,500
litres of fuel per crossing, at 80% MCR.
8 crossings possible.
8 crossings possible.
74 metre Stena Sea Lynx made
her debut. Burning around 6,000
Ro-pax
Up to 1500 passengers: 18,000 litres of fuel
per crossing, at 20 knots.
4 crossings possible.
Fast Ferry Benefits
Weather Routing
Careful attention to passage planning, taking into account the
effect of wind, tide, current and wave on the craft can make a
huge difference to the amount of fuel used on any given crossing.
Over the course of a year, this can make for cost savings in the
millions as well as helping the environment.
Incat THE Magazine Issue 36 31