Danish ferry operator Molslinjen operates two high-speed catamaran ferries, Express 4 and Express 5, on key routes in Denmark and Sweden.
The RoPax ferries are two of the world’s largest catamaran fast ferries and both are driven by high-performance Wärtsilä waterjets. Express 5 also features Wärtsilä engines and a Wärtsilä propulsion control system to support efficient and reliable operations.
Molslinjen chose four modular waterjets for both the Express 4 and Express 5 high-speed catamaran ferries because they offer the optimal weight and performance criteria for the ships’ mission profiles.
The waterjets allow shallow draft operation, enable accurate and responsive manoeuvrability and minimise maintenance needs. Waterjets also provide improved propulsion efficiency at speeds over 25 to 30 knots and enable smoother sailing for improved passenger comfort.
Scope of the Wärtsilä solution
The Express 4 was built at the Austal Ships Pty yard in Perth, Australia and delivered in 2019. The Express 5 was built at the Austal Philippines shipyard and delivered in March 2023.
For the Express 4 high-speed ferry, one of the world’s largest catamaran ferries, Wärtsilä supplied four compact axial flow waterjets, the hydraulics system and the propulsion control system.
For the Express 5 high-speed ferry, the largest vessel by volume constructed by Austal, Wärtsilä supplied four fuel-efficient Wärtsilä 31 4-stroke diesel engines and four high-performance Wärtsilä WXJ modular waterjets. Wärtsilä also supplied the state-of-the-art ProTouch remote propulsion control system.
“We have worked successfully with Wärtsilä for a number of years on many naval and commercial projects. We know and trust the quality and performance of their products and we find Wärtsilä to be a valued, reliable partner for us.
