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Shipbuilders make the Caledonian
Connection
FBMA Marine Shipbuilders sign new 57m Fast Catamaran Ferry for New
Caledonia
FBMA Marine Inc (FBMA), the Aboitiz-owned shipbuilder based in Cebu,
Philippines has signed a new building contract with SAS Sudiles of New
Caledonia, in the South Pacific. The new vessel is a 57m fast
aluminium catamaran passenger vehicle ferry designed by BMT Nigel Gee
Ltd, a subsidiary of BMT Group Ltd. This success builds on FBMA Marine
new building contract for a catamaran
ferry in Scotland, signed last month.
The contract with SAS Sudiles, which was awarded following a lengthy
and in-depth international tender process, will provide a fast
catamaran ferry to New Caledonia’s capital, Noumea, and will replace
the existing fast ferry which was delivered 7 years ago. She will
operate on the same infrastructure route which connects Noumea to the
outlying islands of Iles des Pins, Mare, Lifou and Ouvea.
Driven by their existing operational experience, Sudiles’ prime
requirement was for a fuel efficient vessel which offered exceptional
sea keeping and passenger comfort in the often challenging sea
conditions of the South Pacific. Having worked extensively to
understand the client’s priorities, FBMA and BMT developed an
extremely economic, high performance solution. When evaluated in a
series of pre-contract model tests, the new design was shown to exceed
Sudiles’ requirements.
BMT’s hull design, which carefully balances the need for excellent
seakeeping and fuel economy, has been developed from the highly
successful ModCAT hull form used initially for SeaFighter, a 73m
Catamaran for the US Navy. SeaFighter has proved to be extremely
effective in operation.
This new ferry contract underlines the competitive advantages of the
FBMA and BMT collaboration and also marks their first major project
since the signature of a licence agreement.
Craig Patrick of FBMA Marine commented: “This is an extremely
important, exciting project for both FBMA and the fast ferry industry.
This new catamaran design pushes back conventional boundaries and
provides the operator with a more fuel efficient platform with
excellent seakeeping capabilities. We look forward to working with SAS
Sudiles and continuing to meet all their vessel requirements. We are
also very pleased to be partnering with BMT and look forward to a
successful association, drawing on our considerable experience of
building aluminium and steel catamarans and other craft here in Cebu.”
Ed Dudson, Technical Director, BMT Nigel Gee Ltd, said: “This has been
a very challenging requirement but is a project ideally suited to our
specialist vessel design expertise. Our successful development of the
ModCAT hull form will provide a very robust, proven platform for a
very extreme operating environment.”
The vessel will be classed with Bureau Veritas to IMO HSC 2000 Cat B
regulations.
Principal particulars:
• Length overall : 57.80 m
• Length waterline : 51.64 m
• Beam overall : 14.00 m
• Draft : 2.00 m
• Passengers : 356
• Cars : 10
• Speed : 32 knots at 87% MCR
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