Engines installed in next generation Austal trimaran

Australian fast ferry builder Austal’s next generation 102m high speed trimaran has had its unique three-engine layout successfully installed ahead of the vessel’s launch in October.

The passenger/vehicle ferry, which is being built at Austal’s Western Australian facility and is currently available for purchase, is scheduled for completion by February 2010,

Unique to the vessel is a patented three-engine layout that combines with the trimaran’s hydrodynamic hull form to deliver fuel efficiency across a range of operating conditions. Each of the three MTU 20V 8000 M71L diesel engines produces 9,100kW at less than 1,200 rev/min, and offers the world’s highest power-to-weight ratio in their power range.

Austal’s latest trimaran ferry builds on the company’s landmark trimaran Benchijiqua Express, delivered to Spanish operator Fred Olsen SA in 2005.