Largest export hovercraft on trials

The aluminium hull, 75 ton Mamilossa will be based in the St Lawrence Estuary, where it will be utilised for the deployment of buoys and ice breaking duties.The vessel is fitted with a Palfinger 650002 marine hydraulic knuckle boom crane with a 12m outreach for lifting buoys up to 5.6 tons.

Power is supplied by four Caterpillar C32 twelve cylinder marine diesels, each producing 1,125hp. The engines are electronically controlled and meet Tier 2 emission standards. They will take the craft to a top speed of 45 knots, or 40 knots fully loaded, with a range of 660 nautical miles.

The Canadian Coast Guard has been a faithful customer to the Isle of Wight Hovercraft Industry since the 1960s, when it took delivery of its first five ton SRN5 manufactured by Saunders Roe at Cowes. This latest order will be the seventh designed and built at Hoverwork for the Canadians.

Canadian Coast Guard project manager Frank Jess said, ‘It has been a pleasure working alongside the Hoverwork Ltd management team and staff during the construction of the hovercraft. I am confident that the craft will be a valuable asset to the Canadian Coast Guard.’

Despite the global economic downturn, this multi-million pound contract delivered £4m into the Isle of Wight economy. Hoverwork remain optimistic that worldwide orders for their craft will enable the company to retain their skilled workforce.

Hoverwork’s associated company Hovertravel has been operating a 10 minute passenger service for commuters, tourists and day visitors between Ryde on the Isle of Wight and Portsmouth for the last 44 years, the only year round passenger service in the world. The service has carried over 22 million passengers to date.