Austal Australasia has been awarded a major A$270 million contract to design and build a 130-metre-long, high-speed hydrogen- powered ferry .
Building a hydrogen ferry
This new ferry will be one of the largest vessels built by the company, notable for its combined cycle propulsion system that includes gas and steam turbines. The project was called Horizon X , and is being developed in collaboration with Gotlandsbolaget of Sweden, a company committed to sustainability and the transition towards decarbonisation.
This multi-fuel catamaran will have the capacity to carry up to 1,500 passengers, cargo and 400 vehicles. Construction will begin in the first half of 2026 at the Austal shipyard in the Philippines, and is expected to be ready for delivery in 2028. Throughout its development, technologies such as ‘ green aluminium ‘ will be used, which reduces carbon emissions in its manufacture, contributing to the fight against climate change.
The Horizon X project is incredibly exciting and will redefine commercial shuttle capabilities, with a multi-fuel and hydrogen-capable combined-cycle engine and a class-leading, efficient hull design.
Paddy Gregg, CEO of Austal Limited.
The flexible fuel technology demonstrated on Horizon X is leading the transition to decarbonising commercial ferries, and we are proud to be at the forefront, partnering with Gotlandsbolaget, to deliver this new industry-leading ferry.
Thanks to the excellent collaboration between Gotland Tech Development and Austal, we can now move forward to complement our existing fleet of larger cargo and passenger vessels with a high-speed multi-fuel catamaran, which is also hydrogen-ready.
Håkan Johansson, CEO of Gotlandsbolaget .
The Horizon X project is the latest step in Gotlandsbolaget ‘s mission to offer a greener shipping service, contributing to sustainable passenger and vehicle transport between the island of Gotland and the Swedish mainland.
The available technologies of the vessel. Source: Austal
This innovative project is receiving support from industry institutions such as the Nautical Classification Society DNV, which has granted in-principle approval to the vessel’s design to ensure it meets safety regulations for vessels fuelled by gases such as hydrogen.
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Source and photos: Austal
