Aquastrada II To Be MTU-Powered

Last year, the 331-foot (101-m) Aquastrada caught international attention as the world's reported fastest ferry. The Italian operator, Tirrenia, ordered a second ferry of the same construction which is presently being completed by t he Rodriquez yard in Messina — as before, with an MTU propulsion plant.

The hull was completed at the end of February, with final completion scheduled for the end of May.

The new Aquastrada II is to provide service between La Spezia and Olbia on the island of Sardinia at a cruising speed of 43 knots.

She will carry up to 450 passengers and 120 cars. The propulsion plant is identical to the one on the Aquastrada.

It consists of two 16-cylinderMTU Series 595 engines, one located laterally on each side of a centrally located gas-turbine module comprising a General Electric LM2500 gas turbine, a subframe and an acoustic enclosure, the assembly of which was completed by MTU before Christmas.

The total power of the diesels and gas turbine is roughly 28,000 kW (38,000 hp), which is transmitted through Renk-Tacke planetary gearboxes to KaMeWa waterjets.

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