http://blog.al.com/live/2008/09/austal_launches_second_hawaii.html
Austal launches second Hawaii Superferry
Posted by Kaija Wilkinson, Business Reporter September 29, 2008 5:27 PM
Categories: Breaking News, Business
(Press-Register/Mike Kittrell)Mobile, Ala.'s Austal USA today launched the second Hawaii Superferry, using a dry dock supplied by Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Co. The vessel, worth about $95 million, is scheduled for delivery in May 2009.
MOBILE, Ala. -- The largest aluminum catamaran built in the United States launched from Austal USA's Mobile shipyard on Monday, a milestone that the shipyard feels 'further strengthens (its) experience in advanced aluminum vessels over 100 meters in length.'
The 113-meter high-speed ferry is the second of two vessels built in a $190 million deal with commercial client Hawaii Superferry Inc., which operates the first Austal-built vessel in the Hawaiian Islands.
Like the original vessel, it is designed to carry 866 passengers and 282 cars. It is six meters longer than the first vessel, thanks to a ramp that makes it suitable for military use. Hawaii Supferry Inc. has said it plans to operate the vessel commercially.
It is scheduled to start service in May 2009.
The ferry will stay in dry dock through Tuesday morning. If all is well, it will be sailed upriver to Austal for additional work before sea trials. Austal President Joe Rella said project is 'ahead of schedule and on budget.'

(For more information, see Tuesday's Press-Register.)
Tags: aluminum catamaran, Austal, Hawaii Superferry Inc., Joe Rella, Mobile Ala.
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Posted by mauibrad on 10/01/08 at 5:15AM
The ship's 4 diesel engines put out 9,100kW of energy or 9.1MW. Similar to the kind of diesel engines used in power plants. That's is enough energy to power 6,750 homes. What a waste on unneeded and weakly demanded leisure.
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Posted by mauibrad on 10/01/08 at 5:28AM
BTW, speaking of weakly demanded. The Austal ferry in Oman has been carrying loads of 5 people on 5 to 6 hour trips. Even the Sultan of Oman can't subsidize that indefinitely.
The Rolls Royce waterjets were an ingenius maritime development, but with 4 or more diesel engines and with the aluminium hulls, this whole Australian business model is flawed and diametrically inconsistent with external event economic developments in the world.
It is just a matter of a little time and diminished political influence before that becomes apparent.
Aloha, Brad
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