Coolgaree Cat, a new catamaran ferry boasting improved performance, greater comfort

After Australian tourism and transport company Sealink Travel Group decided that it needed a new vessel capable of carrying 320 passengers plus freight along the 35-nautical-mile stretch between Townsville and Palm Island in Queensland, it selected naval architecture firm Incat Crowther and a local builder to provide the solution. The result is Coolgaree Cat, a new catamaran ferry boasting improved performance, greater comfort, lower maintenance requirements, and more sustainable operations compared to the vessel it had been designed to replace.

In addition to being able to accommodate passengers’ need for luggage space, the overall design had placed great emphasis on ensuring comfort. Features that helped achieve this goal include a Humphree active ride control system and a water-chilled air-conditioning system with built-in redundancy to allow passengers to sail in relative comfort even amidst the extreme temperatures and humidity typical in northern Australia.

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