HSC SuperSeaCat Three approaching Helsinki, summer 2006. |
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders: | Fincantieri, Italy |
| Operators: | Aegean Speed Lines, Arab Bridge Maritime Company, Acciona Trasmediterranea, Hellenic Seaways (as of 2010) and Isle of Man Steam Packet Company |
| Built: | 1996—1999 |
| In service: | 1996 onwards |
| Completed: | 6 |
| Active: | 4 |
| Laid up: | 2 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Fast ferry |
| Tonnage: | 4,465 GT (gross tonnage) |
| Displacement: | 340 metric tons deadweight (DWT) |
| Length: | 100.00 m (328 ft 1 in) |
| Beam: | 17.00 m (55 ft 9 in) |
| Draught: | 2.75 m (9 ft 0 in) |
| Decks: | 4 (passenger accessible) |
| Installed power: | 4 × Ruston V20RK 270 |
| Propulsion: | 4 × KaMeWa 112F11 waterjets combined 27500 kW |
| Speed: | 35 knots service speed 40 knots maximum speed |
| Capacity: | 710 passengers 120 cars 4 coaches |
The MDV1200 class fast ferry (sometimes known as SuperSeaCat after brand some of them operated under) are a series of high-speed craft built by Fincantieri in Genoa for Ocean Bridge Investments and Sea Containers Ltd between 1996 and 1999. There are six ships in this class of fastcraft.
The first two MDV1200 class ships, HSC Pegasus One and HSC Pegasus Two were built for Ocean Bridge Investments in 1996 and 1997, respectively. Four additional ships were built for SeaContainers between 1997 and 1999. SeaCo had originally ordered an Auto Express 78 class ship from Austal Ships, but the first in the class, the SuperSeaCat France, failed to meet the speed required by Sea Containers and was not accepted. As a result Sea Containers then turned to Fincantieri and initially ordered 2 of their MDV1200 designs, this was followed by another 2. The option for a further 2 ships was not taken up.
The exterior of the MDV1200 class is styled by Pininfarina. SeaContainers marketed their MDV1200's as SuperSeaCats, after their predecessors in the SeaContainers fleet, the SeaCats. The term SuperSeaCat is a misnomer, as the MDV1200's have a deep V-shaped mono-hull and are not catamarans. The ships are constructed from 400 tonnes of aluminium.
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