Innovative new 21m Aquabus

Initially Aquabus was set up to market a new water taxi in Dubai and its initial offering was a 116 passenger, high speed, low wash aluminium Aquabus 100 catamaran based upon its successful corporate hospitality steel catamaran, Seren-y-Bae.

Fast forward a year to 2007 and the first Aquabus 24, 9.75m aluminium catamaran Hydro 1 heralded the arrival of a new concept for small fast passenger vessels. The design was entrusted to favoured naval architect, Colin Silvester, who was also responsible for the design of the Seren-y-Bae.

In 2011, the 21m Enterprise waterbus was built, which has now been in operation for a year. Enterprise is a low wash easily driven vessel, highly manoeuvrable and returning extremely economical fuel consumption figures. The vessel has low airdraft with a wheelhouse capable of being lowered by hydraulic ram system by a further 300mm.

Mr Silvester was tasked with designing a new 22m vessel based on the same hull, propulsion and superstructure modules as the Enterprise.

But the 22m version has no such airdraft restrictions and has a raised bulwark, superstructure and a conventional wheelhouse arrangement.

Speaking about the original Enterprise concept, Mr Silvester told Maritime Journal: “The design of the hull form has been specifically developed to provide a low wash easily driven vessel operating with extremely low fuel consumption, highly manoeuvrable and stable. It also is designed to operate in coastal waters where the hull entry and well flared bow make for a comfortable and dry ship.”

He added: “These are the factors making this vessel special and it is these coupled with a higher flared bow which have been transferred into the new vessel.”

The new vessel will be operated offshore and also in rivers and estuaries but the operator or area of operation has not yet been disclosed.