In March 2017, Wärtsilä was contracted to provide the waterjets for a new high speed ferry being built by the Incat Tasmania yard in Australia for Malta based Virtu Ferries. The scope of supply covered four Wärtsilä LJX1500SRI waterjets and a Lipstronic control system. The equipment was delivered to the yard in spring 2018 and the ship was delivered to the owners at the end of 2018.
The “Saint John Paul II” is a 110 metres long wave-piercing catamaran, and is the largest high speed catamaran operating in the Mediterranean Sea. It operates between Malta and Sicily, and with its service speed of up to 38 knots, it completes the crossing in approximately 90 minutes. The vessel has a capacity for 900 passengers and the equivalent of 490 truck lane metres for 167 cars.
This new vessel will be a large and powerful high speed ferry, the Wärtsilä waterjets selected will ensure fast, efficient, and reliable operations. We have worked in close cooperation with Incat for nearly 30 years, and during this time have supplied them with modular waterjets for various vessel applications around the world. This product loyalty is the best possible endorsement of the quality and performance expected of the Wärtsilä range of waterjets.