Miraejet Co. Ltd. launches Damen Fast Ferry 4010 JET in Busan

Miraejet Co. Ltd. named its Damen Fast Ferry 4010 JET MV Nina at an official launching ceremony held at the Busan International Ferry Terminal in the Republic of Korea on October 6th. Nina was named after one of the ships deployed on Christopher Columbus’ first voyage to the West Indies.

The order for the 440-passenger, Damen Fast Ferry 4010 JET was fulfilled in just four months.  Miraejet Co. Ltd., a well-known ferry company in Korea, will operate the new vessel between Busan and Tsushima island, Japan, a very popular tourist destination. The ferry has been outfitted with a modern, fresh interior, providing high comfort levels for both passengers and crew.

“We considered several shipbuilders and also second-hand vessels. We chose Damen because it could provide us with an economically efficient vessel, which actually cuts fuel consumption in half and at the same time, enables us to double our passenger capacity.” The Damen Fast Ferry 4010 is compact at only 40 m and yet it has a capacity for 440 passengers and 10 crew.

A swift delivery was also crucial, Mrs Hwang stresses. Damen could supply the Fast Ferry in under six months, compared to an 18-month to two-year delivery period at other yards.

The company had received good feedback from other operators of Damen fast ferries in the local market, she adds. “As this is the sixth vessel Damen has delivered to South Korea, we had a pretty good idea about the advantages of the vessel and all the operators here seem quite satisfied.”

Robert Luth, Damen Product Manager Fast Ferries, says: “The Damen Fast Ferry 4010 is fitted with twin MJP 650 waterjets, enabling the vessel to have a speed of up to 34 knots. With two MTU 16V4000 main engines with a 1A rating, it only needs to be overhauled every 24,000 hours. This leads to a substantial reduction in maintenance costs when compared to other fast ferries.”

This type of vessel can be delivered with either waterjets or controllable pitch propellers, depending on customer needs and requirements.

“Additionally, we customised this vessel with extra fendering in the bow section to protect it against the low quays that are used for mooring in Tsushima,” Mr Luth adds. A cargo room was also added to the upper deck.

Six fast ferries have been delivered to South Korea since 2011 – four Fast Ferry 4212 and another Fast Ferry 4010.

Damen Shipyards Group
Damen Shipyards Group operates 32 shipbuilding and repair yards, employing 9,000 people worldwide. Damen has delivered more than 6,000 vessels in more than 100 countries and delivers some 180 vessels annually to customers worldwide. Based on its unique, standardised ship-design concept Damen is able to guarantee consistent quality.

Damen’s focus on standardisation, modular construction and keeping vessels in stock leads to short delivery times, low ‘total cost of ownership’, high resale values and reliable performance. Furthermore, Damen vessels are based on thorough R&D and proven technology.

Damen offers a wide range of products, including tugs, workboats, naval and patrol vessels, high speed craft, cargo vessels, dredgers, vessels for the offshore industry, ferries, pontoons and superyachts.