Vietnamese shipbuilder Vuot Song Maritime has begun construction on the first of six ferries in a series ordered by an unnamed Madagascar operator.
The vessel, which will be named Ylang Express, will have a length of 38.4 metres, a beam of 9.4 metres, a draught of 1.6 metres, a crew of five, and capacity for 100 passengers and up to 150 tonnes of cargo. One Baudouin 372kW engine will deliver a speed of 10 knots.
The ferry will be used to transport passengers to and from Nosy Be island, a popular tourist destination off the northwestern coast of mainland Madagascar.
Delivery is scheduled for 2020.
