"El Dorado Express" reaches 50.2 knots in sea trials

The shipyard Incat Tasmania has delivered the Panamanian-flagged catamaran "El Dorado Express" (IMO 9975959), built on behalf of the South Korean company Daezer Ferry, which will operate on the Pohang-Ulleung route. It replaces the veteran "Sunflower," another Incat model in service since 1995 that has been retired upon reaching the regulatory age limits according to current regulations in the Asian country.

Ulleung is an island located 117 nautical miles from Pohang and, in addition to serving residents, it also offers an attractive service for the growing tourism in the area.

On May 22, it set sail from Hobart on its delivery voyage with a Korean crew and scheduled technical stops at the ports of Gladstone, Port Moresby, and Davao.

Designed by Revolution Design, "El Dorado Express" is a next-generation catamaran that has reached a speed of 50.2 knots in sea trials, with a deadweight of 100 tons.

With a gross tonnage of 3,158 tons, it measures 76.70 m in length, 20.60 m in beam, and 3 m in draft. It has capacity for 990 passengers and 25 tons of cargo in the garage and is powered by four Caterpillar C280-16 engines, with a power output of 24,000 kW, driving an equal number of Kongsberg Kamewa S90-4 water jets and Reintjes VLJ 4431 reduction gears.

On board, spacious areas prevail in various environments with natural light and a high level of comfort on two decks: level 1 for economy class and level 2 for business and VIP classes.

Photos: Incat Tasmania