South Korean transport company Daezer Ferry recently took delivery of a catamaran Ro-Pax ferry that will transport both local residents and tourists between the city of Pohang on mainland South Korea and the island of Ulleung 117 nautical miles off the country's east coast.
El Dorado Express was designed by Australian naval architecture firm Revolution Design in compliance to DNV class and IMO HSC requirements. The ferry has an LOA of 76.7 metres, a moulded beam of 20.6 metres, a draught of only 3.02 metres, a deadweight tonnage of 167, and capacity for 990 passengers and crew as well as cargo totalling 25 tonnes.
Four Caterpillar C280-16 6,000kW diesel engines drive Kongsberg KaMeWa S90-4 steerable waterjets via Reintjes VLJ 4431 gearboxes. Sea trials showed this configuration can propel El Dorado Express to a speed of 50.2 knots at 100 per cent MCR at 100 DWT. A motion control system and two active interceptors keep the vessel's attitude as level as possible even during fast transits while the centre bow arrangement and wave-piercing hull form ensure a smoother ride.
The onboard systems draw electrical power from four Caterpillar C7.1 200ekW generators.
The accommodation spaces are located on two decks with large windows fitted wherever possible to allow as much natural light as possible into the interior. The main deck has a passenger lounge, a galley, a bar, a room for passengers traveling with pets, a crew mess, a cargo area with 190 square metres of space, a bicycle storage area, and a room for housing patients requiring medical treatment on the mainland.
The upper deck meanwhile has a forward passenger area with 352 reclining business class seats, an aft VIP area with 92 sleeper seats, and a bar. The passenger seats on this deck were supplied by Eknes.
The wheelhouse deck also has a ship's office and a lounge while the wheelhouse itself has raised crew seats and black and dark grey consoles to help reduce glare. Marine evacuation stations are also fitted on port and starboard.
| El Dorado Express | |
| SPECIFICATIONS | |
| Type of vessel: | Ro-Pax ferry |
| Classification: | DNV; IMO HSC |
| Flag: | South Korea |
| Owner: | Daezer Ferry, South Korea |
| Designer: | Revolution Design, Australia |
| Builder: | Incat Tasmania, Australia |
| Length overall: | 76.7 metres |
| Beam: | 20.6 metres |
| Draught: | 3.02 metres |
| Deadweight tonnage: | 167 |
| Capacity: | 25 tonnes |
| Main engines: | 4 x Caterpillar C280-16, each 6,000 kW |
| Gearboxes: | 4 x Reintjes VLJ 4431 |
| Propulsion: | 4 x Kongsberg KaMeWa S90-4 waterjets |
| Generators: | 4 x Caterpillar C7.1, each 200 ekW |
| Maximum speed: | 50.2 knots |
| Other electronics: | Motion control system |
| Seating: | Eknes |
| Safety equipment: | Marine evacuation stations |
| Type of fuel: | Diesel |
| Accommodation: | Lounge; galley; bar; crew mess; patient transport room; passenger cabin; VIP area; ship's office |
| Passengers: | 990 |
| Operational area: | Eastern South Korea |