Austal launches Hawaii Superferry

Austal launches Hawaii Superferry Austal USA last week launched the first of two high speed vehicle-passenger catamarans it is building for Hawaii Superferry.
   The new ship will now undergo final commissioning and sea trials before undertaking a delivery voyage to Hawaii where it will commence service.
   The 350-foot-long ship, under construction for two years at Austal’s yard in Mobile, Ala., is the largest aluminum vessel built in the United States to date, though the yard has two trimaran Littoral Combat Ships about 416 feet in length under construction for the Navy.
   Construction of the second ferry is scheduled for completion in the first half of 2009.
   Hawaii Superferry plans to offer a high-speed vehicle-passenger service which will connect Honolulu to Maui and Kauai in three hours and Honolulu and the Big Island in about four hours.
   Each catamaran can carry 866 passengers and up to 282 cars (or a combination of 28 12-meter trucks and 65 cars).