Rhode Island Fast Ferry gets second Gladding-Hearn catamaran

Rhode Island Fast Ferry recently took delivery of a newbuild 113.5- by 32.4-foot (34- by 10-metre) all-aluminium catamaran from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding.

Designed by Incat Crowther, Julia Leigh will transport up to 320 passengers between Quonset Point in Rhode Island and Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts.

The vessel has an HVAC-equipped main cabin with seating for 142 passengers, a second deck with partially-protected outdoor seating for 130 passengers, and an open third deck with seating for 18 passengers and standing room for another 42. Two MTU 12V4000M64 1,875hp (1,398kW) diesel engines give the ferry a top speed of 29 knots.

Julia Leigh is Rhode Island Fast Ferry’s second high-speed catamaran delivery from Gladding-Hearn following the 2012-built Ava Pearl.