By
Alex Smith |
Damen Shipyards Group has signed a contract with South Korea’s Starline Co. for the delivery of a new fast ferry, which it expects to deliver seven weeks after the signing on 12 May.
Starline has purchased the vessel to operate its route between Busan, South Korea, and Tsushima, Japan. The company currently operates a Damen Fast Ferry 4010 but has chosen to replace it with the larger Damen Fast Ferry 4212 model, which is suitable for use in the open sea conditions of the route. The existing vessel has been sold through Damen’s in-house brokerage service, Damen Trading.
“We are very proud that Starline, already an existing Damen client, has once again placed its trust in us for the purchase of a second Fast Ferry, as well as the sale of its previous vessel,” said Thomas Röwekamp, regional sales director for Asia-Pacific at Damen.
Damen’s practice of building standard vessels in a series for stock meant that it already had a vessel available for purchase. It had also already outfitted the vessel to ensure that it would be ready for delivery in time for the summer season. This practice reduces the delivery time from six months to a few weeks, during which time the shipbuilder will finalise the vessel, making minor changes to meet Starline’s requirements.
“This contract is a clear demonstration of the benefits of the Damen stock building strategy in action, providing clients with the fastest possible delivery of a proven product,” said Röwekamp. “It also reaffirms the suitability of the Damen Fast Ferry designs to the requirements of the South Korean public transportation sector.”
The Fast Ferry 4212 is a 42.2-metre aluminium catamaran vessel which is able to transport up to 439 passengers at speeds of up to 40 knots. Damen has already delivered six vessels of this design to operators in South Korea.
The Fast Ferry 4212 design can carry up to 439 passengers