TRADEABOAT.COM.AU | 177COMMERCIAL NEWS | THE BUSINESS ENDONE2THREE FOR THAMES SERVICE
MBNA Thames Clippers, which has a fleet
of ferries on the Thames River in London,
is now operating a 38m long Australian-
designed catamaran.
Named Venus Clipper it is the third
and largest vessel built by UK shipbuilder
Wight Shipyard Co for the operator.
The 38m Venus Clipper has been built to
a 10 month build schedule and is reflective
of the increased business the yard has
previously predicted in the fast ferry sector.
MBNA Thames Clippers had some
very particular requirements for its latest
new build, including the ability to operate
between numerous floating piers at a speed
not less than 25kt at full load draft.The vessel’s catamaran hullform uses twin
symmetric hulls and has been designed by
Australia’s One2three Naval Architects.
Its hull structure is designed for frequent
and repeated berthing at London’s floating
piers with particular attention paid to
potential contact with obstructions in the
water and harsh weather conditions.
Venus Clipper is classed by DNV GL
with notation +1A1 HSLC Passenger R4
HSC (A) EO meeting the delegated survey
requirements for capacity and seating for a
minimum of 220 passengers, with space for
two wheelchairs.
The two Scania DI16 077M engines
are rated to 662kW and drive Rolls RoyceKamewa 40 A3 waterjets via ZF2000
gearboxes.
Sean Collins, managing director, MBNA
Thames Clippers said; “MBNA Thames
Clippers are very pleased to receive our
third build by Wight Shipyard Co, bringing
our total fleet to 19 vessels.”
“Venus Clipper was delivered on time
and on budget to full specification and
with an exceptional standard of British
workmanship.
“The end result came in under its
designed weight, which contributes to Venus
Clipper being our most efficient vessel to
date.”Credit: Photograph by Jake Sudgen / Wight ShipyardAustral Says Toothfish Being Pillaged
WA-based fishing company Austral Fisheries says it
has concerns for Patagonian toothfish stocks in the
Southern Indian Ocean Fishing Agreement (SIOFA).
This is due to to Spanish-flagged vessels
fishing in under-regulated areas without catch
limits, bycatch limits or agreed seabird mitigation
measures.
The company said there has been a
significant increase in toothfish fishing activity
in the SIOFA area since 2018, with large catches
taken by two Spanish flagged vessels on Del
Cano Rise and William’s Ridge. These locations
share borders with the established, managed
Prince Edward and Marion Islands and CrozetIslands fisheries, and the Heard Island and
McDonald Islands fishery respectively.
It said that as recently as June the Spanish-
flagged vessel, Ibsa Quinto, was fishing without
restraint on William’s Ridge, as it has done in
the past two years.
Austral said it was working with the
Australian Government and others to “garner
an international response to this critical issue,
where it appears that Spain is knowingly
allowing fishing which undermines the
decades of effort by French and Australian
governments, CCAMLR and the wider fishing
industry.”Tassie Police Seek
New Patroller
Tenders have been called for a new all-weather,
multi-purpose, fast-response police patrol vessel for
Tasmania’s police service.
Intended to replace the existing fibreglass patrol vessel
Dauntless, the new vessel will be between 11.5m and
11.99m long and will operate principally out of Hobart,
although it will be capable of operating right around
Tasmania and also at night.
A total of $4.7 million has been budgeted for the
vessel and the tender, which closed in July, was open to
Australian and international tenderers.
The new vessel is expected to be in operation by 2021.