Austal’s shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia has delivered the 112.6m by 26.2m high-speed ferry Leonora Christina to Denmark’s Færgen (formerly Nordic Ferry Services) for operation by its subsidiary Bornholmer Færgen between Sweden and Denmark. As the largest Austal catamaran built to date, the vessel can carry up to 1,400 passengers on the upper and bridge decks, while the three vehicle decks offer a total capacity of 300 truck lane metres, or a maximum of 357 cars, which are accessible via both bow and stern ramps to allow quick loading and unloading.
The wheelhouse extends across the full width of the twin hulls to provide the crew with maximum visibility, while fully-equipped bridge wings enable safe docking in the confined ports of Ronne and Ystad, which the boat was custom-designed to fit. A speed of up to 40 knots is provided by four MAN 20V28/33D engines, each capable of producing a maximum continuous output of 9,100kW while driving Rolls Royce KaMeWa 125 SIII waterjets.
Construction was in accordance with the requirements of Det Norske Veritas, conforming to International Maritime Organisation HSC Code and Danish regulations. Bornholmer Færgen’s Senior Captain Soren Schow and a crew of 12 took 22 days to deliver the 40-knot newbuilding from Western Australia to Denmark in May/June.
