Incat Crowther announced the launch of Xun Long 5, the first of two vessels to be built by AFAI Southern shipyard for Xunlong Shipping Co. The contract to design these two vessels was won in a tight competitive tender process.
The 34m, 188 passenger vessel features a mix of passenger classes over two decks. The main deck seats 154 economy class passengers. The forward end of the main deck cabin houses a kiosk, forward of which is a crew room. The upper deck seats 40 in booths with tables, as well as lounge, which seats six. There is an eight-passenger VIP room aft and an additional toilet. Four large luggage containers are accommodated on the aft upper deck, and there are stairs to the roof deck. The raised wheelhouse offers excellent visibility over the foredeck, with direct access to external wing control stations for easier and safer berthing operations.
The Xun Long 5 is powered by a pair of MTU 16V2000 M70 main engines. These engines drive through a pair of ZF4540 gearboxes to MJP 550DD water jets. On recent sea trials, Xun Long 5 performed well, achieving its contracted loaded service speed of 28 knots. The vessel has a top speed of 30 knots.