VESSEL REVIEW | El Dorado Express – Catamaran Ro-Pax delivered to South Korean owner

South Korean transport company Daezer Ferry recently took delivery of a catamaran Ro-Pax ferry that will transport both local residents and tourists between the city of Pohang on mainland South Korea and the island of Ulleung 117 nautical miles off the country’s east coast.

El Dorado Express was designed by Australian naval architecture firm Revolution Design in compliance to DNV class and IMO HSC requirements. The ferry has an LOA of 76.7 metres, a moulded beam of 20.6 metres, a draught of only 3.02 metres, a deadweight tonnage of 167, and capacity for 990 passengers and crew as well as cargo totalling 25 tonnes.

Four Caterpillar C280-16 6,000kW diesel engines drive Kongsberg KaMeWa S90-4 steerable waterjets via Reintjes VLJ 4431 gearboxes. Sea trials showed this configuration can propel El Dorado Express to a speed of 50.2 knots at 100 per cent MCR at 100 DWT. A motion control system and two active interceptors keep the vessel’s attitude as level as possible even during fast transits while the centre bow arrangement and wave-piercing hull form ensure a smoother ride.

The onboard systems draw electrical power from four Caterpillar C7.1 200ekW generators.

The accommodation spaces are located on two decks with large windows fitted wherever possible to allow as much natural light as possible into the interior. The main deck has a passenger lounge, a galley, a bar, a room for passengers traveling with pets, a crew mess, a cargo area with 190 square metres of space, a bicycle storage area, and a room for housing patients requiring medical treatment on the mainland.

The upper deck meanwhile has a forward passenger area with 352 reclining business class seats, an aft VIP area with 92 sleeper seats, and a bar. The passenger seats on this deck were supplied by Eknes.

The wheelhouse deck also has a ship’s office and a lounge while the wheelhouse itself has raised crew seats and black and dark grey consoles to help reduce glare. Marine evacuation stations are also fitted on port and starboard.

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