Page 20: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (July 1998)

NEW & NOTABLE

Record Breaking Run

Incat-built, Cat-powered fast ferry breaks Atlantic speed record

Asleek high-speed ferry set a new trans-Atlantic speed record last month after finishing a dash from New York to

Spain. The Catalonia, a futuristic Caterpillar diesel-powered catamaran, made the New York to Tarifa crossing at an average speed of 38.7 knots, said Robert Copeland, a spokesman for Caterpillar Inc., which built the ferry's four diesel engines.

The ferry is owned by an Argentina-based transport company. The former speed record for a commercial vehicle crossing the Atlantic

Ocean was set eight years ago by Hoverspeed

Great Britain at an average speed of 36.65 knots. The Catalonia also became the first pas- senger ship ever to travel more than 1,000 miles (1,600 km) in a 24-hour period. The ferry left New York on the morning of June 6 and completed the 3,125-mile (5,000 km) journey at approximately 3:00 p.m. EDT on June 9. The ferry can travel at up to 45 knots.

The $45 million, 298-ft. (91-m) vessel, made almost entirely of aluminum and steered with an intricate system of water jets, was built at

Incat in Tasmania, Australia. The ferry's record crossing should entitle it to the Hales

Trophy, established in 1935 by Harold Hales to encourage innovation in the passenger trans- port industry. Past winners have included

Lusitania and Queen Mary.

To be declared the official record holder,

Catalonia must turn over its technical logs and navigational records to the Hales Trophy tech- nical review committee, which will render a decision in 30 days. Juan Carlos Lopez-

Mena, head of Buquebus, the Buenos Aires- based transport company that owns Catalonia, was on board for the crossing, along with a crew of about two dozen. The ship is slated to go into commercial service operating as a ferry between Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca.

Circle 35 on Reader Service Card

Cargo capacity 900 pax, 225 cars

Bunker MDO 56 tons (normal) + 423 tons (long range)

Fuel consumption 5.82 tons/hr. @ 100% mcr % High tensile steel 1-2%

Main engine Caterpillar

Main engine Type 4 x Caterpillar 3618

Total hp 28,800 kW

Auxiliary engines Refer Generators

Jet propulsion units: 4 x lips U145D

Generator engines x Caterpillar 3406

Generators 2 x Caterpillar 3406

Emergency generator 2 x Caterpillar 3406

Motor starters Ingersoll Rand

Stabilizers Maritime Dynamics

Couplings Vulcan Rato - Flexible rubber mounted

Reduction gears 4 x Renk ASL60

Engine controls Lips Remote Control Steering

Steering controls Lips Remote Control Steering

Deck machinery incat Design and Manufacture

Catalonia Main Particulars

Shipbuilder: Incat Australia

Vessel Type: Wave Piercing Catamaran

Owner/Operator: Buquebus

Designer: Incat Australia

Flag: Uruguay

Classification: Det Norske Veritas +1A1 HSLC R1

Number of sister ships(already built/on order): 2/1

Contract Date 26 March 1997

Float out Date: 5 April 1998

Delivery Date 16 May 1998

Length, o.a 300 ft. (91.3 m)

Breadth, molded 85.3 ft. (26 m)

Gross Tonnage 5,617

DWT 450

Draft, design 3.734m

Speed, service 43 knots

Speed, lightship .48 knots

Complement 23

Shafting

Bearings Cooper

Coatings Painted

VHF radio Skanti VHF 3000

SSB radio Skanti

Radar 2 x Racal Decca (1 x ARPA, 1 x SBand)

Compass Gyro (Anschutz STD 20), Magnetic (C Plath, 180mm)

GPS DGPS (Decca, GR X4068B)

Autopilot Lips Integrated with Propulsion Control

Collision avoidance ARPA radar

SATNAV Decca DGPS GR X406B

Pumps Grundfos

A/C Sanyo Heat Pump (SPW - X4836H56)

Lifeboats 2 x ML Lifeguard inflatable rescue boat

Liferafts Liferaft Systems Australia (100 man MES)

Davits Incat Design / RIMS Manufacture

Firefighting system Chubb (Extinguishers), Thorn (Detection),

Incat (Drencher System)

Doors/Ramps/Cargo Lifts Stern Door, Fixed Fwd Ramps

Computers on the Ship . .4 Personal Computers, 11 Computer Systems is powered by a pair of EMD 16- 645E7B marine engines rated at 3,070 hp each at 900 rpm. The tug's propulsion system is made up of Kamewa Aquamaster Type US 3001/3600 units, capable of pro- ducing a static bollard pull in excess of 150,000 lbs. with 106-ft. stainless steel propellers. The main propulsion shafting leads port and starboard from the main engines aft through a series of heavy duty universal joints and bearing to the aft machinery flat in the stern which houses two

Aquamaster 360 degree rotatable

Z-drive units. Control of each Z- drive is through Aquamaster's sin- gle lever Aquapilot Control System whichprovides control of all func- tions for each unit.

In addition to the main engines, the engine room houses two

Detroit Diesel 8V-71 generator sets rated at 99 kW at 1,200 rpm, one equipped with a PTO to pro- vide power to a Goulds Model 3410 2,000 gpm fire monitor pump and 1,000 gpm Skum Model MK 100ATR100 fire monitor for offship firefighting capability.

Elizabeth Turecamo's double chine hull is built to ABS rules and the vessel is classed ABS Al-AMS

Maltese Cross Ocean Towing. Its ship handling bow winch and cap- stan were manufactured by New

England Trawlers. The bow winch has a total capacity of 600 ft. of 12- in. circumference synthetic line with a brake holding force of 450,000 lbs. The tug's pilothouse has been specifically designed to provide the operator with excep- tional visibility from any location on the bridge with 360 degree visi- bility horizontally and upward of 90 degree vertically through the

Pictured above and below:

Catalonia.

Right: The CAT 3618 engine installed on Catalonia.

Elizabeth Turecamo

Commences Service

Elizabeth Turecamo, White

Stack Maritime Corp.'s newest tractor tug, has begun its long- term charter handling ships call- ing on the Port of Charleston, S.C.

This state-of-the-art vessel was specifically selected for handling

Panamax and post-Panamax ships. The tug is reportedly the largest and most powerful in

Charleston, and offers advanced technology for ship handling and escort services. At 110 x 40 x 20-ft. (33.5 x 12.2 x 6.1-m) Elizabeth

Turecamo was constructed by

Eastern Shipbuilding Group and

Pictured below is the wheelhouse of

Elizabeth Turecamo, shown left during sea trials. 20 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News