Austal Limited announced that Austal and Gotlandsbolaget of Sweden have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to develop a construction contract for the ‘Gotland Horizon X’ catamaran concept, first announced in April 2023.
‘Gotland Horizon X’ is a high-speed aluminium catamaran that will utilise gas turbines in a combined cycle to transport up to 1,450 passengers, cargo and vehicles between the Swedish mainland and the island of Gotland.
Under the terms of the MOU and proposed construction contract, the high-speed catamaran will be designed by Austal and constructed at the Austal Philippines shipyard.
Announcing the MOU, Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer Paddy Gregg said Austal is ready to deliver a catamaran that is not only the largest, longest, and most technologically advanced ferry design developed by the company, but also enabling Gotlandsbolaget to achieve their climate-neutral emissions targets.
Going forward, Austal will utilise Austal’s proprietary DeepMorpher AI technology to further develop and finalise an energy efficient hull that minimises energy requirements and optimises seakeeping.
Through ongoing collaboration between Austal, Gotland Tech Development and supply chain partners, the design team is continuing to confirm and optimize various attributes of the vessel, including power, load capacity, and speed.
The introduction of this multi fuel low emission powered catamaran is a vital component in achieving Gotlandsbolaget’s goal of climate-neutral crossings between Gotland and the mainland by 2045, at the latest.