Miraejet Co Ltd named its Damen Fast Ferry 4010 JET Nina at an official launching ceremony at the Busan International Ferry Terminal in the Republic of Korea on 6 October 2016. Nina was named after one of the ships deployed on Christopher Columbus’ first voyage to the West Indies.
The order for the 440-passenger Damen Fast Ferry 4010 JET was fulfilled in just four months. Miraejet Co Ltd, a well-known ferry company in Korea, will operate the new vessel between Busan and Tsushima island, Japan, a popular tourist destination.
The ferry has been outfitted with a modern, fresh interior, providing high comfort levels for both passengers and crew.
Miraejet Co Ltd Chief Executive Officer, Michelle Hwang comments: “We were looking for a more efficient vessel compared to our existing monohull hydrofoil in terms of fuel consumption, but any new vessel should not compromise safety and comfort levels.
“We considered several shipbuilders and also second-hand vessels. We chose Damen because it could provide us with an economically efficient vessel, which actually cuts fuel consumption in half and at the same time, enables us to double our passenger capacity.”
The Damen Fast Ferry 4010 is compact at only 40m and yet it has a capacity for 440 passengers and 10 crew.
A swift delivery was also crucial, Mrs Hwang stresses. Damen could supply the Fast Ferry in under six months, compared to an 18-month to two-year delivery period at other yards. This is the sixth vessel Damen has delivered to South Korea.
The Damen Fast Ferry 4010 is fitted with twin MJP 650 waterjets, enabling the vessel to have a speed of up to 34 knots. With two MTU 16V4000 main engines with a 1A rating, it only needs to be overhauled every 24,000 hours, reducing maintenance costs compared to other fast ferries.
Six fast ferries have been delivered to South Korea since 2011 – four Fast Ferry 4212 and another Fast Ferry 4010.
