New World First Ferry Orders Two Ferries

Austal and New World First Ferry Services (Macau) Limited (First Ferry (Macau)) ordered two new high-speed catamarans for operation between Macau and Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong.

With five Austal 155.8-ft. high speed passenger catamarans already in service, the new ferries will be almost identical to the original design. The ferries are said to be optimized for service speeds in excess of 42 knots and the comfortable carriage of 418 passengers with numerous passenger amenities.

The new ferries are scheduled to enter service in 2008 to meet the growing tourism demand generated from the remarkable increase in the Macau's tourist arrivals since the development of the gaming and mega-resort industry and the extension of Individual Visitor Scheme.