Incat Australia Pty News

In the fall of 1999, the situation in East Timor was tense. The United Nations mission was cut off from reinforcement and resupply, with 430 miles of open ocean between the chaotic Indonesian island and the UN's nearest supply base in Darwin, Australia. Then the Royal Australian Navy's Jervis Bay, a fast ferry built by INCAT Australia Pty., Ltd. and chartered by the Navy, came to the rescue. Making hundreds of crossings in an average of 11 hours for each trip, with an average speed of 43 knots fully loaded, the 292-ft. wave-piercing catamaran's performance "stunned" the United States Seventh Fleet representatives attached to the UN mission, according to RAN personnel.

In a move which signals the long-awaited fast craft boom in the United States is about to begin, Bollinger Shipyards, Inc., Lockport, La., and INCAT AUSTRALIA Pty. Ltd. signed an agreement for Bollinger to market and build high speed craft to INCAT designs in the United States. The deal is significant in that earlier this year chief INCAT rival Austal Ships struck a deal with Mobile, Ala.-based Bender Shipbuilding to build a new shipyard in Mobile for the same purpose. INCAT is privately owned and is the innovator and builder of the world speed record holding Wave Piercing and K Class aluminum catamarans. The 27 year-old company has built over 30, or approximately 40% of the worldwide fleet of high-speed passenger ferries over 230 feet (70M) in length.

In a move which signals the long-awaited fast craft boom in the United States is about to begin, Bollinger Shipyards, Inc., Lockport, La., and INCAT AUSTRALIA Pty. Ltd. signed an agreement for Bollinger to market and build high speed craft to INCAT designs in the United States. The deal is significant in that earlier this year chief INCAT rival Austal Ships struck a deal with Mobile, Ala.-based Bender Shipbuilding to build a new shipyard in Mobile for the same purpose. INCAT is privately owned and is the innovator and builder of the world speed record holding Wave Piercing and K Class aluminum catamarans. The 27 year-old company has built over 30, or approximately 40% of the worldwide fleet of high-speed passenger ferries over 230 feet (70M) in length.

In a move that signals the long-awaited fast craft boom in the United States is about to begin, Bollinger Shipyards, Inc., Lockport, La., and Incat Australia Pty. Ltd. signed an agreement for Bollinger to market and build high speed craft to Incat designs in the United States. The deal is significant in that earlier this year chief Incat rival Austal Ships struck a deal with Mobile, Ala.-based Bender Shipbuilding to build a new shipyard in Mobile for the same purpose. Incat is privately owned and is the innovator and builder of the world speed record holding Wave Piercing and K Class aluminum catamarans. The 27-year-old company has built more than 30, or approximately 40 percent of the worldwide fleet of high-speed passenger ferries over 230 ft. in length.

Incat Australia Pty. Ltd. is widely regarded as a premier builder of high-speed ferries, and that reputation was enhanced with the production of three wave-piercer catamarans, which hold the distinction of being the fastest ships ever to cross the Atlantic. The two latest, Catalonia and Cat-link V, are from Incat's line of 299 ft. wave-piercer class of fast-ferry vessels. They made their individual record-breaking journeys across the Atlantic within weeks of each other, at average speeds of 39 knots and 41 knots, respectively. The wave-piercer fast-ferry vessels have been launched from Incat docks in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, since September 1997.

Incat Australia Pty. Ltd. is widely regarded as a premier builder of high-speed ferries, and that reputation was enhanced with the production of three wave-piercer catamarans, which hold the distinction of being the fastest ships ever to cross the Atlantic. The two latest, the Catalonia and the Cat-link V are from Incat's line of 299 ft. (91 m) wave-piercer class of fast-ferry vessels. They made their individual record-breaking journeys across the Atlantic within weeks of each other, at the average speeds of 39 knots and 41 knots, respectively. The wave-piercer fast-ferry vessels have been launched from Incat docks in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, since September 1997.

Incat received the award for Most Significant New Build-Fast Ferry at The Cruise and Ferry Exhibition and Conference held in London. The award was presented to builders Incat and owners Bollinger/Incat USA for the US Army Theater Support Vessel TSV-1X Spearhead at a gala dinner at the Hilton London Metropole. Shipping professionals crowned the 98 metre Spearhead as the ship most deserving of the title amidst fierce competition from other nominees, including: Austal Ships and EuroFerrys for EuroFerrys Pacifica; HDW and Superfast Ferries for the medium speed ships Superfast IX + X and Austal Ships and New World Fast Ferry for New Ferry LXXXI / LXXXII / LXXXIII.

Incat received the award for Most Significant New Build - Fast Ferry, at the biennial event for the ferry, fast ferry and cruise industry, The Cruise and Ferry Exhibition and Conference, held in London in mid-May. The award was presented to builders Incat and owners Bollinger/Incat USA for the 322-ft. U.S. Army Theater Support Vessel TSV-1X Spearhead. Incat Australia Pty Ltd. Managing Director Craig Clifford said "Incat to some extent were 'reigning champions' having also taken the Most Significant New Build - Fast Ferry award at the last Cruise & Ferry event in 2001 with the 96 m Evolution 10 Benchijigua Express for Fred. In November 2002, when Incat delivered Spearhead for service with the U.S. Army, expectations were high.

Bollinger Shipyards, Inc., has promoted and/or assigned new responsibilities to the following members of its management team in order to meet the demands of increased business, new products, expanded services and new technologies according to Donald T. "Boysie" Bollinger, chairman and CEO of the Lockport, La., headquartered shipbuilding and repair company. Mike Ellis has been promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer of the company. "Mike's leadership ability and strategic vision has afforded him the opportunity to take on additional responsibilities within our organization", said Boysie Bollinger. Ellis joined Bollinger in 1998 as chief financial officer and will now be responsible for the overall operations of the company.