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Austal's involvement in the USN's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). Austal is providing its expertise in the design and construction of aluminium ships to the Bath Iron Works (General Dynamics) team that was awarded one of three design contracts for the LCS project. With power provided by four MTU 20V 8000 diesel engines driving three Kamewa waterjets, the Auto Express 126 trimaran will be able to maintain a service speed in excess of 40 knots and provides the capacity to carry 1,350 pas- sengers, over 340 cars and a substantial number of trucks. At the same time, the seakeeping performance of the trimaran While Australian builders count the fast ferry market as a top priority, entry into military mar- kets particularly in the U.S., is priority "1A" at worst. Pirctured is an artist's impression of Austal's 56 metre patrol boat for the Royal Australian Navy. depending on the routes we operate." said Fred Olsen Jr., the company's Executive Chairman. The Spanish company took delivery of its first Austal-built fast ferry last September in the form of the 66 m cata- maran Bocayna Express. Austal's next vehicle ferry deliveries include a 56 m catamaran for Tahiti that is configured to carry 700 passengers and 30 cars and the company's seventh Auto Express 86 catamaran. This vessel is particularly significant for Austal Ships as it is the company's first sale into the North American market. Built for U.S. company Canadian American Transportation Systems (CATS), the ferry will operate across Lake Ontario at Australia well over 40 knots, linking Rochester. NY with Toronto, Canada. With two passenger decks housing 774 passengers and space for some 238 cars. Spirit of Ontario will enter the Great Lakes system as soon as the St. Lawrence Seaway re-opens. It will not be the only Austal ferry passing through during the course of 2004. as Austal is designed to provide passengers with a high comfort level. "The characteristics of this new vessel, with a length of 126.7 m and beam of 30 m, will improve overall efficiency in terms of passenger capacity, deadweight and freight lane metres by more than 35%. At the same time passenger com- fort will increase by 25% to 40% Circle 201 on Reader Service Card The 66 metre catamaran Bocayna Express. January 2004 21
