Incat
![]() | |
Industry | Shipbuilding |
---|---|
Founded | 1977 |
Founder | Bob Clifford |
Headquarters | |
Products | Wave-piercing catamarans |
Owner | Bob Clifford |
Website | www.incat.com.au |
Incat Tasmania is an Australian manufacturer of high-speed craft (HSC) catamaran ferries. Its greatest success has been with large, sea going passenger and vehicle ferries, but it has also built military transports and since 2015 it has built smaller river and bay ferries. Based in Derwent Park, a suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, it was founded by Bob Clifford.
The company builds vessels using aluminium construction, wave-piercing and water-jet technology. Vessels have been constructed up to 130 metres in length with a size of 13,000 gross tons and with cruising speeds of up to 58 knots (107 km/h).
History
[edit]This section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2024) |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/The_Zinc_Works_and_Incat.jpg/440px-The_Zinc_Works_and_Incat.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/Francisco_D%C3%A1rsena_Norte_-_01.jpg/220px-Francisco_D%C3%A1rsena_Norte_-_01.jpg)
The company began in the 1970s as the Sullivans Cove Ferry Company in suburban Hobart and built four small ferries before International Catamarans was formed in 1977 by a partnership between founder Bob Clifford and marine architect Philip Hercus. This partnership created plans for what was probably the first large wave piercing catamaran in the world. However the partnership was dissolved in 1988 with Clifford remaining in Hobart trading as Incat Tasmania while Hercus returned to Sydney to establish Incat Designs (Sydney), a design-only company that became Incat Crowther after a merger in 2005. Incat Crowther has no association with Incat Tasmania and its ships are built by other companies. Incat Tasmania has its own in-house design company, Revolution Design.
In 1989 Incat Tasmania moved to its present location on Prince of Wales Bay, which allowed it to build larger ships, and in 1990 Incat delivered its first 74-metre fast catamaran ferry. At the same time, several other companies also began to build large aluminium vehicle carrying ferries. This new type of ship was revolutionary and over the next decade fast cats replaced most hydrofoil and hovercraft services as well as many monohull ferries. The success of this new type of ferry led to other shipbuilders around the world using their yards to build large vehicle carrying aluminium catamarans. However many ferry operators preferred traditional monohull designs and the limited market for fast cats became crowded with manufacturers bidding low to keep their shipyards working.
After the inevitable collapse of the industry, two builders of large catamaran ferries survived, Incat and its Perth based rival Austal. However Incat had needed to downsize and after a brief stint in receivership, the company continued building ferries and developing larger and more efficient designs. With diversification into smaller bay ferries in 2015 and the recovery of the market for large vehicle carrying ferries, Incat Tasmania's workforce expanded rapidly from 2015.
In August 2024, the company announced it would build a new shipyard in the Derwent Valley to meet global demand for electric vessels.[1]
Products
[edit]Large wave piercing passenger and vehicle ferries
[edit]In 1990 Incat was one of the pioneers of large, fast catamaran ferries and they have been its core product ever since. The type of ship was different from earlier ferries and its instant success led to Incat becoming a major player in the industry. Over the years innovation has led to the ships becoming bigger, faster, more fuel efficient and much more stable on rough seas. Vehicle decks are often movable to make way for high trucks or extra cars.
Ships in this category have been built from 74 to 130 metres long and from 3,000 to 13,000 gross tons. The 99-metre HSC Francisco (Hull 069) is the world's fastest ship in commercial service and can achieve speeds up to 58 knots (107 km/h; 67 mph).
Smaller passenger ferries
[edit]Incat began by building small ferries under 37 metres, but from 1990 it concentrated on larger vehicle-carrying catamarans. However, in 2015 the company resumed building smaller ferries and in that year it delivered river ferries for operation in London, Hobart and Sydney. Since then it has designed and built more smaller ferries including two 35-metre, 400 passenger ferries (Hulls 090 and 095) for commuter runs by Port Phillip Ferries from Melbourne Docklands to Portarlington and Geelong.
Military vessels
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/63/USN_Joint_Venture_%28HSV-X1%29.jpg/220px-USN_Joint_Venture_%28HSV-X1%29.jpg)
In the 1990s several catamarans built by Incat entered naval service as fast transports, including HMAS Jervis Bay with the Royal Australian Navy and HSV-X1Joint Venture, Spearhead and HSV-2 Swift, which served with the United States Armed Forces.
Other vessels
[edit]K class
[edit]In the mid-1990s Incat built three "K class" ferries. They are 70 to 80 metres long, low profile passenger vessels without wave piercing bows or the distinctive centre bow that characterise all other larger Incat ferries. Two were built by Incat in Hobart and a third was built by a Chinese partner. Plans for further Chinese built K class ferries did not eventuate and Hull NF08 remains the only Incat vessel not built in Hobart.
Oil rig tender
[edit]Most offshore oil rigs are exposed to rough open seas with crew transfers by helicopter and freight needs served by platform supply vessels. However Azerbaijan's offshore oil rigs are in the calmer waters of the Caspian Sea, the world's largest lake, so crew transfers can be comfortably and more economically undertaken by water. Several fast catamarans have been built to transfer both crews and cargo for this market including Incat Hull 074 Muslim Magomayev delivered in 2015.[2] The size of catamarans that can be built for this niche market is restricted by the 16.5-metre width of locks on the Volga–Don Canal that connects the Caspian Sea with the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.
Brooke Street Pier
[edit]From 1990 Incat had almost exclusively built large catamarans, but this changed in 2014 when the company diversified into something that was not even a ship, although it did float. An earlier Brooke Street Pier ferry terminal on Hobart's waterfront needed replacement and Incat was commissioned to build an 80 x 20-metre floating pontoon. Hull 077 was towed 8 km from Incat's shipyard to Sullivans Cove before finishing work was done on site. In addition to ferry berths, the pier hosts a restaurant, a cafe and a number of stalls.
Luxury super yachts
[edit]The market for opulent motor yachts has grown rapidly in the 21st century and while the market is mostly for monohull vessels, catamarans are beginning to make inroads. Incat has released several designs ranging from 80 to 112 metres which are shown on their website,[3] but so far[timeframe?] there have been no orders.
Deliveries
[edit]In its early years Incat built smaller boats and ferries with little to distinguish it from other boat yards except for a willingness to experiment and innovate. But the revolutionary Hull 023 completed in 1990 was quite different and was the first of the type of ferry that Incat is best known for today with its large capacity, high speed, wave piercing hulls and distinctive centre bow. As one of the first large aluminium vehicle carrying catamarans in the world, it contributed to the big changes in the ferry industry that occurred in the 1990s.
Image | Hull no | Length / class | Gross tonnage | Delivered | Latest name | Operator | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
001
|
18m cat
|
1977
|
Jeremiah Ryan
|
Unknown
|
[4] | |
N/A
|
002
|
18m cat
|
1979
|
James Kelly
|
Unknown
|
[4] | |
N/A
|
003
|
??m cat
|
1980
|
A. K. Ward
|
Derwent Sailing Squadron
|
[4] | |
N/A
|
004
|
20m cat
|
1981
|
Fitzroy
|
Unknown
|
[4] | |
N/A
|
005
|
20m cat
|
1981
|
Tangalooma
|
Unknown
|
[4] | |
N/A
|
006
|
20m cat
|
1981
|
Amaroo II
|
Unknown
|
[4] | |
N/A
|
007
|
20m cat
|
1982
|
Green Islander
|
Unknown
|
[4] | |
N/A
|
008
|
20m cat
|
1982
|
Quicksilver
|
Unknown
|
[4] | |
N/A
|
009
|
29m cat
|
1982
|
Spirit of Roylen
|
Unknown
|
[4] | |
N/A
|
010
|
21m cat
|
1983
|
Trojan
|
Unknown
|
[4] | |
N/A
|
011
|
22m cat
|
1984
|
Keppel Cat I
|
Unknown
|
[4] | |
N/A
|
012
|
??m cat
|
1983
|
Thunderbird
|
Unknown
|
[4] | |
N/A
|
013
|
9 m cat
|
1982
|
Little Devil
|
Unknown
|
[4] launched 1984[5] | |
N/A
|
014
|
?? m cat
|
1984
|
Pybus Rutherglen Punt
|
Unknown
|
[4] | |
N/A
|
015
|
?? m yacht
|
1984
|
Margaret Rintoul
|
Unknown
|
[4] | |
N/A
|
016
|
27m cat
|
1985
|
Spirit of Victoria
|
Unknown
|
[4] | |
N/A
|
017
|
31m cat
|
1986
|
Tassie Devil 2001
|
Unknown
|
[4] | |
N/A
|
018
|
23m cat
|
1987
|
Starship Genesis
|
Unknown
|
[4] | |
N/A
|
019
|
31m cat
|
1988
|
2000
|
Unknown
|
[4] | |
020
|
30m cat
|
1986
|
Scrapped at Marchwood in 2008[6] | ||||
021
|
30m cat
|
1986
|
Scrapped at Esbjerg in 2009[7] | ||||
N/A
|
022
|
37m cat
|
1988
|
Sea Flight
|
Cruise Whitsundays
|
[4] | |
023
|
74m WPC
|
3,012
|
1990
|
The first large, aluminium, vehicle carrying catamaran built by Incat and one of the first in the world. Has operated in 3 continents | |||
024
|
74m WPC
|
3,454
|
1992
|
||||
025
|
74m WPC
|
3,003
|
1990
|
||||
026
|
74m WPC
|
3,003
|
1991
|
||||
027
|
74m WPC
|
3,003
|
1992
|
ColoniaExpress
| |||
028
|
74m WPC
|
3,003
|
1992
|
||||
030
|
74m WPC
|
3,241
|
1993
|
Hanil Express
|
Formerly known as Condor 10 | ||
N/A
|
031
|
74m WPC
|
3,231
|
1993
|
Dae-A-Gosok
|
Refitting at Busan | |
032
|
74m WPC
|
4,994
|
1993
|
Ferrylineas S.A.
|
|||
033
|
78m WPC
|
3,989
|
1994
|
Baleària–Bahamas Express
|
|||
N/A
|
034
|
78m WPC
|
3,989
|
1995
|
Fares 2
|
Maritime Company for Navigation, Saudi Arabia
|
Formerly Elanora operated by El Salam Maritime |
035
|
78m WPC
|
3,989
|
1995
|
The last Incat vessel fitted with a bow door | |||
036
|
70m K class
|
1,760
|
1995
|
||||
N/A
|
037
|
78m K class
|
2,450
|
ColoniaExpress
|
|||
N/A
|
NF08
|
80m K class
|
2,357
|
1998
|
Harmony Flower
|
H Ferry (DAE-A Express Shipping) Korea.
|
Built in Panga, China under contract from Incat as part of a plan to build K class vessels there. Only one was built in China |
038
|
81m WPC
|
4,112
|
1996
|
||||
N/A
|
039
|
1996
|
Solar Boat
|
Incat R&D craft
|
|||
040
|
81m WPC
|
4,113
|
1996
|
Dae A Express
|
Operated under various names in the Irish Sea by Stena Line from 1996 to 2011. Now operates in South Korea | ||
041
|
81m WPC
|
4,305
|
1996
|
||||
042
|
86m WPC
|
5,005
|
1996
|
Formerly Condor Express for Condor Ferries. | |||
043
|
86m WPC
|
5,007
|
1997
|
Förde Reederei Seetouristik Iberia
|
|||
044
|
86m WPC
|
5,005
|
1997
|
Formerly Condor Vitesse for Condor Ferries | |||
045
|
86m WPC
|
5,007
|
1997
|
Formerly Condor Rapide for Condor Ferries and HMAS Jervis Bay | |||
046
|
91m WPC
|
5,617
|
1997
|
Government of Trinidad and Tobago
|
Operates in conjunction with Incat 060 | ||
047
|
91m WPC
|
5,902
|
1998
|
||||
048
|
91m WPC
|
5,617
|
1998
|
||||
049
|
91m WPC
|
5,619
|
1998
|
||||
050
|
96m WPC
|
5,743
|
1998
|
Previously HSV-X1 Joint Venture | |||
051
|
96m WPC
|
5,528
|
1999
|
||||
052
|
96m WPC
|
6,346
|
1999
|
||||
053
|
96m WPC
|
6,344
|
1999
|
||||
N/A
|
054
|
R&D craft
|
Wing
|
Incat
|
|||
055
|
96m WPC
|
6,344
|
2000
|
||||
056
|
96m WPC
|
6,360
|
2000
|
Formerly Highspeed 6 at Hellenic Seaways
| |||
057
|
98m WPC
|
6,581
|
2000
|
Formerly Normandie Express for Brittany Ferries | |||
058
|
98m WPC
|
6,554
|
2003
|
||||
059
|
98m WPC
|
6,464
|
2002
|
Fujian Cross Straight Ferry
|
Operates between Taiwan and China. Formerly ran as The Cat from eastern USA to Canada and Bahamas | ||
060
|
98m WPC
|
6,581
|
2000
|
Government of Trinidad and Tobago
|
Formerly the US military's USAV Spearhead (TSV-X1). Now operates in conjunction with Incat 046 | ||
061
|
98m WPC
|
6,581
|
2003
|
United States Navy 2002–2013. In UAE service from 2015. Seajets 2017 -
|
Major damage to port bow after missile attack off Yemen in 2016. Towed to Greece for repairs. Not operational
| ||
N/A
|
062
|
98m WPC
|
6,581
|
2006
|
Formerly Milenium Tres at Acciona Trasmediterránea
| ||
N/A
|
063
|
17m cat
|
2006
|
Sixty Three
|
17m Project Pty Ltd
|
||
064
|
112m WPC
|
10,841
|
2007
|
J & T Shipping Co Ltd Wagon Group
|
|||
065
|
112m WPC
|
10,715
|
2008
|
Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry
|
|||
066
|
112m WPC
|
10,503
|
2009
|
Previously Norman Arrow | |||
067
|
112m WPC
|
10,503
|
2013
|
||||
068
|
85m WPC
|
5,702
|
2015
|
Förde Reederei Seetouristik Iberia
|
Operating the Algeciras to Ceuta route across the Strait of Gibraltar. Formerly Sado Steam Ship connecting Sado island in Eastern Japan with the main island of Honshu. Under construction (2013)[8] | ||
069
|
99m WPC
|
7,109
|
2013
|
Fastest ship in the world | |||
N/A
|
070
|
17m
|
2016
|
Gwenhyfar
|
Privately owned
|
Cruising ketch[9] | |
N/A
|
071
|
N/A
|
2011
|
The Barge
|
Tas Marine Constructions
|
||
N/A
|
072
|
15m
|
2011
|
Lindoy
|
Stava Bat &
Dykkerservice |
Delivered to Norway 16 November 2011[10] | |
073
|
34m
|
2015
|
MR-1 or Mona Roma
|
Navigators / Secheron Holdings for Museum of Old and New Art
|
Delivered 9 February 2015.[11] Operates on Derwent River, Hobart | ||
N/A
|
074
|
70m FCB
|
1,439
|
2015
|
Muslim Magomayev
|
Caspian Marine Services
|
Launched 2014, named after Muslim Magomayev[12][13] |
075
|
35m
|
155
|
2015
|
Galaxy Clipper
|
MBNA Thames Clippers
|
Entered service October 2015[14] | |
076
|
35m
|
155
|
2015
|
Neptune Clipper
|
MBNA Thames Clippers
|
Entered service October 2015[14] Article on Thames Clippers Hunt Class catamarans. | |
077
|
2014
|
Brooke Street Pier Development Corporation
|
Pier, completed November 2014[15] Displacement 4,200 tons (not Gross Tonnage) | ||||
N/A
|
078
|
24m
|
2015
|
Ocean Tracker
|
Entered service 23 December 2015[16] | ||
N/A
|
079
|
24m
|
2015
|
Ocean Wave
|
Manly Fast Ferries
|
Entered service 23 December 2015[16] | |
N/A
|
080
|
33m
|
2016
|
Ocean Surfer
|
Manly Fast Ferries
|
Entered service March 2016[17] | |
081
|
33m
|
2016
|
Ocean Flyer
|
Manly Fast Ferries
|
Entered service March 2016[17] | ||
082
|
35m
|
2016
|
In service[18] | ||||
083
|
35m
|
2017
|
Fred Hollows
|
Sydney Ferries
|
Entered service 26 June 2017[19] | ||
084
|
35m
|
2017
|
Victor Chang
|
Sydney Ferries
|
In service[20] | ||
085
|
35m
|
2017
|
Pemulwuy
|
Sydney Ferries
|
In service[21] | ||
086
|
35m
|
2017
|
Bungaree
|
Sydney Ferries
|
In service[22] | ||
087
|
35m
|
2017
|
May Gibbs
|
Sydney Ferries
|
Entered service December 2017 as Emerald 6, renamed January 2018[23] | ||
088
|
109m WPC
|
10,842
|
2017
|
Entered service June 2017. 1,000 pass, 417 cars.[24] | |||
089
|
110m WPC
|
9,044
|
2018
|
For service in Malta, due to commence operations in March 2019.[25] | |||
090
|
35m WPC
|
2017
|
Bellarine Express
|
405 passengers. In service on Port Phillip between Melbourne Docklands and Portarlington[26] | |||
091
|
111m WPC
|
10,870
|
2019
|
35 knots cruising speed. 1,1184 passengers, 390 cars, 595 lane metres of ro-ro cargo. Cost €74 million[27] | |||
N/A
|
092
|
33 metres
|
2018
|
Ocean Adventurer
|
Manly Fast Ferries
|
Operates on Port Jackson, Sydney. seats 400[28] | |
N/A
|
093
|
111 metres
|
2021
|
Volcán de Taidia
|
|||
N/A
|
094
|
100 metres
|
2021
|
Buccoo Reef
|
Government of Trinidad and Tobago
|
Operates between Port of Spain and Scarborough.[29] | |
N/A
|
095
|
35 metres
|
2019
|
Geelong Flyer
|
Operates between Melbourne & Geelong complementing the earlier Melbourne to Portalington service.[30] | ||
N/A
|
096
|
130 metres
|
13,000
|
Will be the world's largest aluminium ship. 226 cars, 2,100 passengers in four classes with a full deck for cafes, restaurants, shops, etc. To operate between Argentina and Uruguay.[31] | |||
N/A
|
097
|
76 metres
|
3000+
|
2022
|
Santa Monica 1
|
Seaworld Express Ferry
|
Operates between Jindo and Jeju in South Korea. 700 pax and crew, 79 cars. Media release. |
N/A
|
098
|
120 metres
|
.
|
Undisclosed
|
. | ||
099
|
76.7 metres
|
3000+
|
2023
|
El Dorado Express
|
Daezer
|
To operate between Pohang and Ulleung in South Korea at up to 50 knots. Media release.[32] | |
Image
|
Hull no.
|
Length / class
|
Delivered
|
Latest name
|
Operator
|
Notes |
In the "Length / class" field of the table WPC means the vessel is a wave piercing catamaran. The three K class vessels were a low profile design without the wave piercing bows and the capacity to carry fewer cars than traditional Incat designs.
In the competitive ferry industry, ships often change operators, especially in Europe. Other ferries have alternated between summer service in the northern and southern hemispheres every six months. Some Incat vessels of the 1990s have been operated by up to six shipping companies with regular name changes.
Gross tonnage is a measure of a ship's enclosed volume rather than its weight or displacement, so similar ships can have differing gross tonnages due to factors such as whether a viewing platform is fully enclosed or open to the weather.
References
[edit]- ^ "INCAT to build new shipyard in Derwent Valley to meet demand for electric vessels". Pulse Tasmania. 29 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
- ^ Offshore Solutions Incat
- ^ "Concept Vessels". www.incat.com.au. Archived from the original on 23 August 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Earlier Vessels". Incat. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ "History". Incat. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
- ^ "M/S OUR LADY PATRICIA (1986)". Fakta om Fartyg. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ "M/S OUR LADY PAMELA (1986)". Fakta om Fartyg. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ "85 Metre Wave Piercing Catamaran". Incat. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
- ^ "Gwenhwyfar (070)". www.incat.com.au. Archived from the original on 20 August 2017.
- ^ "Lindoy (072)". www.incat.com.au. Archived from the original on 20 August 2017.
- ^ "MR-1 (073)". www.incat.com.au. Archived from the original on 20 August 2017.
- ^ "70 Metre Fast Crew Boat". Incat. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
- ^ David Beniuk (14 September 2014). "Oil-industry cat a crooner's cruiser as Incat's Muslim Magomayev heads to Azerbaijan's Caspian oilfields". Mercury.
- ^ a b Incat Builds Arrive in London in Style Sea Breezes 7 December 2015
- ^ $12 million floating waterfront masterpiece takes shape The Mercury 24 May 2014
- ^ a b New Manly fast ferries opened to public without Opal card access ABC News 29 December 2015
- ^ a b 4 Brand New Boats Manly Fast Ferry 18 March 2016
- ^ Aussie doctor lends her name to newest ferry Transport for New South Wales 15 November 2016
- ^ Incat ferries bound for Denmark & Sydney Harbour The Mercury 21 April 2017
- ^ Victor Chang joins Sydney's ferry fleet Transport for New South Wales 18 August 2017
- ^ Pemulwuy arrives in Sydney Transport for New South Wales 30 August 2017
- ^ New ferries to cater for population boom along Parramatta River Sydney Morning Herald 2 October 2017
- ^ Ferry McFerryface wasn't public pick for new ferry name until Andrew Constance's captain's pick Daily Telegraph 30 January 2018
- ^ Incat Builds New Ferry for Denmark Ships Monthly 29 April 2016
- ^ "Virtu's new catamaran will be among the world's largest". Times of Malta. 8 January 2019. Archived from the original on 28 January 2019.
- ^ "28/11/2017". www.incat.com.au. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018.
- ^ Incat Insider newsletter, issue 049 Incat
- ^ My Fast Ferry Launched at Incat Incat 10 July 2018
- ^ "094".
- ^ "095".
- ^ "096".
- ^ "099".
External links
[edit]Media related to Incat (ship builder) at Wikimedia Commons
- Official website
- Revolution Design, Incat's in house naval architects