A new era in medium-speed marine propulsion

The first commercial contract for the waterjets has seen them successfully commissioned on a 20-metre passenger ferry in The Netherlands.

“The LTX is a game changer. It offers propeller-like efficiency at lower speeds while maintaining all the advantages of waterjet propulsion – shallow water operation, safety and unmatched manoevrability,” said Ben Reed, managing director, HamiltonJet.

”Our customers’ operational needs are changing alongside global environmental expectations. Some are lowering speeds to save energy; others are adopting electric or hybrid drivetrains. The LTX has been designed with this future in mind.”

Reshaping performance

The vessel Inselexpress 2, built by Next Generation Shipyard, is powered by twin LTX36 jets driven by Volvo D8 engines (313 bkW) via ZF gearboxes.

During trials, the ferry comfortably met its predicted top speed of 23.5 knots, validating the LTX’s technical promises and its potential to reshape propulsion performance in the 20 to 30 knot range.

Originally launched as a new design in 2023, the LTX series is HamiltonJet’s bold step into the low- to medium-speed market traditionally dominated by propeller systems.

The jets – now commercially available in LTX36 and LTX53 models – were inspired by nature’s most efficient swimmer: The moon jellyfish. Travelling via a low-velocity jet of water, the jellyfish achieves exceptional efficiency through a large nozzle, minimal energy input, and a finely tuned natural design.

HamiltonJet drew from this biological model to develop a propulsion solution with similar attributes – optimised nozzle size, reduced jet velocity and a lightweight structure.

The result is a jet with up to 40% more bollard pull than comparable jets, enhancing station-keeping and acceleration

Additional LTX-powered vessels are also in development, including fully electric ferries in New Zealand and Europe.