A letter of intent has been signed between shipbuilder Austal and Rederi AB Gotland (Gotlandsbolaget) for the design of a high-speed catamaran called the Gotland Horizon X, capable of operating on hydrogen as a fuel.
The companies intend to design the catamaran and its propulsion system to run on multiple fuel types, such as fossil-free fuels, including hydrogen. The 130m-long Gotland Horizon X will have a service speed of 35kts and will be able to carry a total of 1,650 passengers and 450 passenger cars.
The vessel, which is stated to be Sweden’s first large-scale hydrogen-powered form of passenger transportation, is scheduled to enter service in 2030.
“This is an important step in our climate journey,” said Håkan Johansson, CEO of Gotlandsbolaget. “We are working on developing the ships of the future, and in 2022 presented the second ship concept in our Horizon series, Gotland Horizon X. It is a fast-moving catamaran that will be able to run on fossil-free fuels, and which we believe will be an excellent complement to the Gotland traffic.”
“The letter of intent with Gotlandsbolaget confirms that Austal is ready to design and build a 130m high-speed catamaran that can be powered by hydrogen, and which will help us on the journey toward zero emissions,” added Paddy Gregg, CEO of Austal.
