USA: All American Marine and Teknicraft Design made a proposal to Kitsap Transit on May 19 to bring a new passenger ferry to Rich Passage.
On April 21, the commissioners of Kitsap Transit unanimously approved US$5.3 million for the purchase of a 23-metre ultra-low wake Teknicraft catamaran.
On May 18, All American Marine received the signed notice-to-proceed.
The high-speed passenger catamaran will carry 118 passengers and operate between Bremerton and Seattle at speeds of 29 to 38 knots.
The new vessel technology is the result of five years of development. Kitsap Transit has contracted with Pacific International Engineering to spearhead the ongoing research efforts in conjunction with All American Marine and Teknicraft Design to further enhance the vessel's design.
Teknicraft Design's principal naval architect, Nic de Waal of Auckland, New Zealand, worked with hydrodynamicists from the University of Iowa's IIHR-Hydroscience and Engineering Research Centre as well as naval architects from INSEAN in Rome, Italy, to model an ultra-low wake hull.
Coastal specialists from Golder Associates also evaluated the proposed vessel's performance in terms of wake generation and resistance. The vessel optimisation study used Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) techniques to help refine the shape of the hull and hydrofoil to produce lower wake heights with less wake energy.
Beginning in June, AAM will construct the passenger ferry by combining an aluminium catamaran hull with a lightweight composite cabin. Using composites will be a first for the company, which has been building aluminium vessels for over 20 years.
The latest composite technology will be used to create high strength structures at a lower weight than that of an aluminium equivalent. Composites also possess superior sound and insulation properties. AAM will outsource all composite components initially. In conjunction with Bellingham's Marine Innovation Zone programme, AAM and Western Washington University will create the vessel's adjustable hydrofoil system using composites.
JBE in Anacortes, Washington will provide composite panels to be bonded together to form the passenger cabin and pilothouse.
All American Marine will fabricate the Teknicraft Design aluminium catamaran hull using 5383 Sealium aluminium alloy. Welded 5383 alloys are nearly 20 percent stronger than conventional marine grade aluminium with similar plate thickness. Using stronger aluminium will require less material, thereby decreasing overall weight.
Minimising weight is a critical factor for controlling wake wash height and energy. The copyrighted hull design's premise is to create lift for the vessel by means of the hull shape and hydrofoil working together to displace nearly one-half of the vessel's weight. The net result is reduced resistance, reduced fuel consumption, reduced wake and increased speed.
It would seem appropriate that a passenger vessel servicing the Emerald City would also integrate the latest "green" features to further reduce operational impact upon the environment. The vessel's purchase price is reflective of the state-of-the-art onboard technology, which will pay dividends in terms of providing an eco-friendly ferry service. Most noticeably, the hydrofoil system and wake mitigating interceptors will be adjustable and controlled by GPS, automatically making adjustments so the vessel will produce the lowest wake energy in the most sensitive coastal areas.
The adjustable hydrofoil can also be manipulated intentionally to make minor adjustments to optimise speed without increasing engine rpm or fuel consumption. The adjustable foil is highly beneficial for commuter ferry applications, where the passenger load may be heavier on one service more than the other.
Golder Associates will supply a specialised monitoring system for the hull and hydrofoil, providing detailed performance data for continued research purposes. Additional green features are included in the vessel's propulsion system, consisting of four Caterpillar C18 ACERT engines, which will be fit with specialised CleanAIR Permit filters to reduce harmful emissions by up to 99 percent.
Noise pollution will be mitigated with acoustic foam insulation and composite sandwich decking material. The cabin interior will be finished with recyclable aluminium honeycomb wall panels and recyclable aluminium ceiling panels with acoustic insulation.
The finished vessel will be coated with a low VOC paint system. Other amenities include ADA-friendly heads, comfortable Beurteaux seating and bicycle storage racks to encourage as many commuters on board as possible.
The new passenger ferry is scheduled to be completed and delivered by March 2010. The funding for the vessel construction, research, and initial demonstration run was in part secured through several federal grants and appropriations.
