Castoldi to supply 164 waterjets for Maldives ferries

Italian waterjet manufacturer Castoldi has won what it has called a ‘momentous’ contract to supply a total of 164 waterjets for 82 new ferries in the Maldives.

The Turbodrive 400 H C waterjets will be supplied to equip new ferries being built by UAE shipyard giant Gulf Craft at its Maldives shipyard, which are needed to vastly improve local transport, Maldives president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said.

Gulf Craft Maldives general manager Terry Stamatakos said the company had worked very closely with Castoldi to deliver the Touring 51 ferries to the government, and ’their performance exceeded expectations, thanks to their Turbodrive 400 HC waterjets’.

The waterjets come with a good reputation, having equipped the 80 interceptor boats of the Indian Navy in 2013 and having been in operation ever since.

The company says it is one of the most efficient, lightweight propulsion systems available today, with a light integrated gearbox contained in the waterjet housing.

Castoldi’s unclogging system can also be installed alongside, together with the ACES electronic control system.

The ferries will be used to act like a system of public buses to take locals from island to island in a transport network much needed by the islanders. 

Gulf Craft has operated in the Maldives for 20 years, providing almost 80% of the archipelago’s water transport services, including coast guard, emergency services and leisure boats as well as public transport.