Incat Crowther has been commissioned by Cruise Whitsundays, part of Journey Beyond, to design a new 36-metre passenger vessel, according to the company's release.
The scope of work includes vessel design, management of the tender process for construction, and advice on procurement and commercial processes. The vessel will be built by Austal Vietnam.
The ship will operate year-round as a resort connection service linking Airlie Beach, Daydream Island, Hamilton Island and Cruise Whitsundays’ Reef World pontoons located 39 nautical miles from shore at Hardy Reef.
The vessel will accommodate up to 390 guests, including 10 wheelchair accessible spaces, and will travel at speeds of 25 knots at low engine loading.
It is designed for local conditions and optimised for the routes and infrastructure of the Whitsundays.
The multi-deck design includes indoor and outdoor seating, an open-air upper deck with 48 seats, a viewing platform, a crew room, an administration office and a full-width wheelhouse.
The mid-deck will feature a 36-seat First Class lounge with dedicated viewpoints, a bar, a 64-seat Premium Class lounge, an undercover outdoor seating area for 80 passengers, bathrooms, and a buffet service area.
The main deck will seat up to 160 passengers, with a large buffet service area, a bar, a galley, storage areas, a first aid room and three bathrooms, one of which is wheelchair accessible.
The vessel will be powered by two Mitsubishi S16 T2MPTK engines and equipped with Naiad active ride Control Systems for stability in wave heights of up to 2.5 metres. Construction is scheduled across 2026.
Incat Crowther is an Australian-based naval architecture firm that designs a wide range of commercial, defense, and passenger vessels. It provides services from concept development to detailed engineering and delivery support.
Cruise Whitsundays is an Australian marine tourism company operating passenger ferry services, resort connections and reef excursions in Queensland’s Whitsunday Islands. It is a subsidiary of Journey Beyond.