VESSEL REVIEW | Bindy II – Catamaran ferry used as military personnel shuttle in France's Brest Harbour

Spain's Armon Shipyard has handed over a new fast catamaran ferry to French shipping company the Sogestran Group for operation by its subsidiary Morlenn Express.

Bindy II was designed by French naval architecture firm Mauric. She was built in fulfilment of an order placed by Morlenn Express in 2023 as part of its fleet renewal strategy. Construction of the vessel was completed within 18 months.

Like other vessels in the Morlenn Express fleet, the new ferry will be operated in support of the French Ministry of Armed Forces. Specifically, she will be used as a personnel shuttle, transporting passengers between the various military installations that line Brest Harbour in Brittany.

Built for stable navigation even in rough seas

Mauric had carried out a series of concept studies exploring various hull forms and vessel configurations compliant with the latest European directive on passenger vessels. The designer said the catamaran configuration ultimately emerged as the most suitable solution, offering the most ideal balance between passenger capacity, service speed, and seakeeping performance.

The all-aluminium Bindy II has an LOA of 29.9 metres (98.1 feet), a beam of 10.7 metres (35.1 feet), and a capacity of 400 passengers, while two MAN engines can deliver speeds of up to 20 knots. The engines are fitted with selective catalytic reduction systems to ensure compliance with IMO Tier III NOx emissions regulations.

Mauric said the vessel’s wave-piercing hull form optimises fuel consumption and ensures stability in challenging conditions while remaining under the regulatory length threshold for compliance with French flag rules.

Fitted with efficiency-enhancing features

Extruded aluminium deck panels incorporating very thin plating and stiffeners allowed for significant savings in both structural weight and fuel consumption, according to Mauric.

The air-conditioned main cabin meanwhile boasts charging ports for mobile devices, vibration- and noise-reducing features, and a dedicated space for bicycles.

The electronics include a searchlight, VHF radios, engine monitoring systems, an autopilot, and a Furuno radar. The helm station is laid out to ensure the electronics and their respective controls and switches are within easy reach.

Hydrodynamic optimisation of the hull lines and the propulsion arrangement enables Bindy II to operate at notably low installed power. Mauric said daily fuel consumption has been substantially reduced compared to the previous generation of vessels the new catamaran is set to replace.

Bindy II’s five later sisters – Louarn II, Tibidy II, Treberon II, Arun II, and Terenez II – are scheduled to be delivered to Morlen Express by 2028. All six ferries will replace similarly named predecessors in the Morlenn Express fleet.