Astilleros Gondán will now focus on building three more eco fast ferries for Spanish operator
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Baleària has taken delivery of the first of its four new eco fast ferries from Spanish shipbuilder Astilleros Gondán.
Built at Gondán’s yard in Asturias, the new Eco Aqua recently underwent sea trials and will begin serving the route between Eivissa and Formentera in the Balearic Islands in late December 2017.
Like her three sisters, the 28-metre long Eco Aqua catamaran will accommodate 350 passengers – 270 inside and 80 outside on the upper deck. In line with Baleària's commitment to the environment, the vessels’ names reflect the four elements of nature and the three remaining catamarans will be called Eco Terra, Eco Aire and Eco Lux. They will all be delivered by mid-2018.
Key environmental features include a wave-piercing bow, which will help the ferries to maintain a regular speed of 28 knots and reduce wave slamming. The ferries will also have photovoltaic solar panels to power their onboard services and a hull made from polyester reinforced with fibreglass, which eliminates the need for paint. In addition, they will be powered by 1450 horsepower diesel engines, which minimise gas and pollution emissions.