Intended to remove five trucks from the oft-congested roads of New England and New York, Captain Ben Moore, a 19-metre aluminium catamaran, was designed by world-leading Australian naval architects Incat Crowther as a cargo vessel.
A diesel electric, hybrid and pure electric powered craft, it operates at 12 knots on two-hour voyages that can, depending on road congestion, save up to eight hours per trip. It will also save vast amounts of fuel, emissions and, probably, operator nerves.
The concept of comparatively small cargo catamarans operating across relatively narrow waterways has much to commend it. If you look at an atlas, it also has vast potential.
"Captain Ben Moore offers an efficient battery-powered solution for cargo transport," Incat Crowther told Baird Maritime. "She can deliver fresh produce in 45 minutes compared to upwards of nine hours it takes by road. Moreover, the craft was recently fitted with autonomous functionality, making it the first hybrid cargo vessel in the United States to feature remote crew-assist."
The incorporation of autonomous navigation from Sea Machines in Captain Ben Moore satisfies the criteria of lower emissions and digitisation in operations, both of which have been recognised by Incat Crowther as two of the biggest trends in the global maritime transport industry.
"Digitisation is contributing to reductions in fleet capital costs (through digital shipbuilding) and operational costs (through greater availability of maintenance information)."
The company added that these then lead to improved efficiency (in both manufacturing and vessel operations) and vessel capability, further optimising costs on the part of operators.
