# Incat

Incat Tasmania is an Australian manufacturer of high-speed craft (HSC) catamaran ferries. Its greatest success has been with large, sea going passenger and vehicle ferries, but it has also built military transports and since 2015 it has built smaller river and bay ferries. Based in Derwent Park, a suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, it was founded by Bob Clifford.
The company builds vessels using aluminium construction, wave-piercing and water-jet technology. Vessels have been constructed up to 130 metres in length with a size of 13,000 gross tons and with cruising speeds of up to 58 knots (107 km/h).

## History

The company began in 1972 as the Sullivans Cove Ferry Company in suburban Hobart and built four small ferries before International Catamarans was formed in 1977 by a partnership between founder Bob Clifford and marine architect Philip Hercus. This partnership created plans for what was probably the first large wave piercing catamaran in the world. However the partnership was dissolved in 1988 with Clifford remaining in Hobart trading as Incat Tasmania while Hercus returned to Sydney to establish Incat Designs (Sydney), a design-only company that became Incat Crowther after a merger in 2005. Incat Crowther has no association with Incat Tasmania and its ships are built by other companies. Incat Tasmania has its own in-house design company, Revolution Design.
In 1989 Incat Tasmania moved to its present location on Prince of Wales Bay, which allowed it to build larger ships, and in 1990 Incat delivered its first 74-metre fast catamaran ferry. At the same time, several other companies also began to build large aluminium vehicle carrying ferries. This new type of ship was revolutionary and over the next decade fast cats replaced most hydrofoil and hovercraft services as well as many monohull ferries. The success of this new type of ferry led to other shipbuilders around the world using their yards to build large vehicle carrying aluminium catamarans. However many ferry operators preferred traditional monohull designs and the limited market for fast cats became crowded with manufacturers bidding low to keep their shipyards working.
In August 2024, Incat purchased 12 hectares of land from Norske Skog to build a second shipyard on part of the Boyer Mill site.

## Products
### Large wave piercing passenger and vehicle ferries

In 1990 Incat was one of the pioneers of large, fast catamaran ferries and they have been its core product ever since. The type of ship was different from earlier ferries and its instant success led to Incat becoming a major player in the industry. Over the years innovation has led to the ships becoming bigger, faster, more fuel efficient and much more stable on rough seas. Vehicle decks are often movable to make way for high trucks or extra cars.
Ships in this category have been built from 74 to 130 metres long and from 3,000 to 13,000 gross tons. The 99-metre HSC Francisco (Hull 069) is the world's fastest ship in commercial service and can achieve speeds up to 58 knots (107 km/h; 67 mph).

### Smaller passenger ferries

Incat began by building small ferries under 37 metres, but from 1990 it concentrated on larger vehicle-carrying catamarans. However, in 2015 the company resumed building smaller ferries and in that year it delivered river ferries for operation in London, Hobart and Sydney. Since then it has designed and built more smaller ferries including two 35-metre, 400 passenger ferries (Hulls 090 and 095) for commuter runs by Port Phillip Ferries from Melbourne Docklands to Portarlington and Geelong.

### Military vessels

In the 1990s several catamarans built by Incat entered naval service as fast transports, including HMAS Jervis Bay with the Royal Australian Navy and HSV-X1Joint Venture, Spearhead and HSV-2 Swift, which served with the United States Armed Forces.

### Other vessels
#### K class

In the mid-1990s Incat built three "K class" ferries. They are 70 to 80 metres long, low profile passenger vessels without wave piercing bows or the distinctive centre bow that characterise all other larger Incat ferries. Two were built by Incat in Hobart and a third was built by a Chinese partner. Plans for further Chinese built K class ferries did not eventuate and Hull NF08 remains the only Incat vessel not built in Hobart.

#### Oil rig tender

Most offshore oil rigs are exposed to rough open seas with crew transfers by helicopter and freight needs served by platform supply vessels. However Azerbaijan's offshore oil rigs are in the calmer waters of the Caspian Sea, the world's largest lake, so crew transfers can be comfortably and more economically undertaken by water. Several fast catamarans have been built to transfer both crews and cargo for this market including Incat Hull 074 Muslim Magomayev delivered in 2015. The size of catamarans that can be built for this niche market is restricted by the 16.5-metre width of locks on the Volga–Don Canal that connects the Caspian Sea with the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.

#### Brooke Street Pier

From 1990 Incat had almost exclusively built large catamarans, but this changed in 2014 when the company diversified into something that was not even a ship, although it did float. An earlier Brooke Street Pier ferry terminal on Hobart's waterfront needed replacement and Incat was commissioned to build an 80 x 20-metre floating pontoon. Hull 077 was towed 8 km from Incat's shipyard to Sullivans Cove before finishing work was done on site. In addition to ferry berths, the pier hosts a restaurant, a cafe and a number of stalls.

#### Luxury super yachts

The market for opulent motor yachts has grown rapidly in the 21st century and while the market is mostly for monohull vessels, catamarans are beginning to make inroads. Incat has released several designs ranging from 80 to 112 metres which are shown on their website, but so far there have been no orders.

## Deliveries

In its early years Incat built smaller boats and ferries with little to distinguish it from other boat yards except for a willingness to experiment and innovate. But the revolutionary Hull 023 completed in 1990 was quite different and was the first of the type of ferry that Incat is best known for today with its large capacity, high speed, wave piercing hulls and distinctive centre bow. As one of the first large aluminium vehicle carrying catamarans in the world, it contributed to the big changes in the ferry industry that occurred in the 1990s.
| Image | Hull no | Length / class | Gross tonnage | Delivered | Latest name | Operator | Notes |
| N/A | 001 | 18m cat | | 1977 | Jeremiah Ryan | Unknown | |
| N/A | 002 | 18m cat | | 1979 | James Kelly | Unknown | |
| N/A | 003 | ??m cat | | 1980 | A. K. Ward | Derwent Sailing Squadron | |
| N/A | 004 | 20m cat | | 1981 | Fitzroy | Unknown | |
| N/A | 005 | 20m cat | | 1981 | Tangalooma | Unknown | |
| N/A | 006 | 20m cat | | 1981 | Amaroo II | Unknown | |
| N/A | 007 | 20m cat | | 1982 | Green Islander | Unknown | |
| N/A | 008 | 20m cat | | 1982 | Quicksilver | Unknown | |
| N/A | 009 | 29m cat | | 1982 | Spirit of Roylen | Unknown | |
| N/A | 010 | 21m cat | | 1983 | Trojan | Unknown | |
| N/A | 011 | 22m cat | | 1984 | Keppel Cat I | Unknown | |
| N/A | 012 | ??m cat | | 1983 | Thunderbird | Unknown | |
| N/A | 013 | 9 m cat | | 1982 | Little Devil | Unknown | launched 1984 |
| N/A | 014 | ?? m cat | | 1984 | Pybus Rutherglen Punt | Unknown | |
| N/A | 015 | ?? m yacht | | 1984 | Margaret Rintoul | Unknown | |
| N/A | 016 | 27m cat | | 1985 | Spirit of Victoria | Unknown | |
| N/A | 017 | 31m cat | | 1986 | Tassie Devil 2001 | Unknown | |
| N/A | 018 | 23m cat | | 1987 | Starship Genesis | Unknown | |
| N/A | 019 | 31m cat | | 1988 | 2000 | Unknown | |
| | 020 | 30m cat | | 1986 | Our Lady Patricia | Wightlink | Scrapped at Marchwood in 2008 |
| | 021 | 30m cat | | 1986 | Our Lady Pamela | Wightlink | Scrapped at Esbjerg in 2009 |
| N/A | 022 | 37m cat | | 1988 | Sea Flight | Cruise Whitsundays | |
| | 023 | 74m WPC | 3,012 | 1990 | Cat | Seajets | The first large, aluminium, vehicle carrying catamaran built by Incat and one of the first in the world. Has operated in 3 continents |
| | 024 | 74m WPC | 3,454 | 1992 | Pinar del Río | Baleària | |
| | 025 | 74m WPC | 3,003 | 1990 | High Speed Jet | Seajets | |
| | 026 | 74m WPC | 3,003 | 1991 | Masterjet | Seajets | |
| | 027 | 74m WPC | 3,003 | 1992 | Atlantic Express | ColoniaExpress |
| | 028 | 74m WPC | 3,003 | 1992 | Cyclades Express | Seajets | |
| | 030 | 74m WPC | 3,241 | 1993 | Hanil Blue Narae | Hanil Express | Formerly known as Condor 10 |
| N/A | 031 | 74m WPC | 3,231 | 1993 | Mandarin | Dae-A-Gosok | Refitting at Busan |
| | 032 | 74m WPC | 4,994 | 1993 | Atlantic III | Ferrylineas S.A. | |
| | 033 | 78m WPC | 3,989 | 1994 | Jaume I | Baleària–Bahamas Express | |
| N/A | 034 | 78m WPC | 3,989 | 1995 | Fares 2 | Maritime Company for Navigation, Saudi Arabia | Formerly Elanora operated by El Salam Maritime |
| | 035 | 78m WPC | 3,989 | 1995 | Mega Jet | Seajets | The last Incat vessel fitted with a bow door |
| | 036 | 70m K class | 1,760 | 1995 | Juan Patricio | Buquebus | |
| N/A | 037 | 78m K class | 2,450 | | Montevideo Express | ColoniaExpress | |
| N/A | NF08 | 80m K class | 2,357 | 1998 | Harmony Flower | H Ferry (DAE-A Express Shipping) Korea. | Built in Panga, China under contract from Incat as part of a plan to build K class vessels there. Only one was built in China |
| | 038 | 81m WPC | 4,112 | 1996 | Jaume II | Baleària | |
| N/A | 039 | | | 1996 | Solar Boat | Incat R&D craft | |
| | 040 | 81m WPC | 4,113 | 1996 | Orange 1 | Dae A Express | Operated under various names in the Irish Sea by Stena Line from 1996 to 2011. Now operates in South Korea |
| | 041 | 81m WPC | 4,305 | 1996 | Jaume III | Baleària | |
| | 042 | 86m WPC | 5,005 | 1996 | Champion Jet 2 | Seajets | Formerly Condor Express for Condor Ferries. |
| | 043 | 86m WPC | 5,007 | 1997 | Tarifa Jet | Förde Reederei Seetouristik Iberia | |
| | 044 | 86m WPC | 5,005 | 1997 | Champion Jet 1 | Seajets | Formerly Condor Vitesse for Condor Ferries |
| | 045 | 86m WPC | 5,007 | 1997 | Champion Jet 3 | Seajets | Formerly Condor Rapide for Condor Ferries and HMAS Jervis Bay |
| | 046 | 91m WPC | 5,617 | 1997 | T&T Express | Government of Trinidad & Tobago | Sank in April 2021 |
| | 047 | 91m WPC | 5,902 | 1998 | HSC Superexpress | Golden Star Ferries | |
| | 048 | 91m WPC | 5,617 | 1998 | Max Mols | Mols-Linien | |
| | 049 | 91m WPC | 5,619 | 1998 | Fjord Cat | Fjord Line | |
| | 050 | 96m WPC | 5,743 | 1998 | Manannan | Isle of Man Steam Packet Company | Previously HSV-X1 Joint Venture |
| | 051 | 96m WPC | 5,528 | 1999 | Poniente Jet | DFDS | |
| | 052 | 96m WPC | 6,346 | 1999 | Alborán | Acciona Trasmediterránea | |
| | 053 | 96m WPC | 6,344 | 1999 | Bencomo Express | Fred. Olsen Express | |
| N/A | 054 | R&D craft | | | Wing | Incat | |
| | 055 | 96m WPC | 6,344 | 2000 | Bentago Express | Fred. Olsen Express | |
| | 056 | 96m WPC | 6,360 | 2000 | Volcan de Teno | Naviera Armas | Formerly Highspeed 6 at Hellenic Seaways |
| | 057 | 98m WPC | 6,581 | 2000 | Condor Voyager | Condor Ferries | Formerly Normandie Express for Brittany Ferries |
| | 058 | 98m WPC | 6,554 | 2003 | Barlovento Express | Fred. Olsen Express | |
| | 059 | 98m WPC | 6,464 | 2002 | Hai Xia Hao | Fujian Cross Straight Ferry | Operates between Taiwan and China. Formerly ran as The Cat from eastern USA to Canada and Bahamas |
| | 060 | 98m WPC | 6,581 | 2000 | T&T Spirit | Government of Trinidad & Tobago | Formerly the US military's USAV Spearhead |
| | 061 | 98m WPC | 6,581 | 2003 | HSV-2 Swift | United States Navy 2002–2013. In UAE service from 2015. Seajets 2017 - | Major damage to port bow after missile attack off Yemen in 2016. Towed to Greece for repairs. Not operational |
| N/A | 062 | 98m WPC | 6,581 | 2006 | Volcán de Tirajana | Naviera Armas | Formerly Milenium Tres at Acciona Trasmediterránea |
| N/A | 063 | 17m cat | | 2006 | Sixty Three | 17m Project Pty Ltd | |
| | 064 | 112m WPC | 10,841 | 2007 | Natchan Rera | J & T Shipping Co Ltd Wagon Group | |
| | 065 | 112m WPC | 10,715 | 2008 | Natchan World | Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry | |
| | 066 | 112m WPC | 10,503 | 2009 | KatExpress 1 | Mols-Linien | Previously Norman Arrow |
| | 067 | 112m WPC | 10,503 | 2013 | KatExpress 2 | Mols-Linien | |
| | 068 | 85m WPC | 5,702 | 2015 | Akane | Förde Reederei Seetouristik Iberia | Operating the Algeciras to Ceuta route across the Strait of Gibraltar. Formerly Sado Steam Ship connecting Sado island in Eastern Japan with the main island of Honshu. Under construction (2013) |
| | 069 | 99m WPC | 7,109 | 2013 | Francisco | Buquebus | Fastest ship in the world |
| N/A | 070 | 17m | | 2016 | Gwenhyfar | Privately owned | Cruising ketch |
| N/A | 071 | N/A | | 2011 | The Barge | Tas Marine Constructions | |
| N/A | 072 | 15m | | 2011 | Lindoy | Stava Bat & Dykkerservice | Delivered to Norway 16 November 2011 |
| | 073 | 34m | | 2015 | MR-1 or Mona Roma | Navigators / Secheron Holdings for Museum of Old and New Art | Delivered 9 February 2015. Operates on Derwent River, Hobart |
| N/A | 074 | 70m FCB | 1,439 | 2015 | Muslim Magomayev | Caspian Marine Services | Launched 2014, named after Muslim Magomayev |
| | 075 | 35m | 155 | 2015 | Galaxy Clipper | Thames Clippers | Entered service October 2015 |
| | 076 | 35m | 155 | 2015 | Neptune Clipper | Thames Clippers | Entered service October 2015 Article on Thames Clippers Hunt Class catamarans. |
| | 077 | | | 2014 | Brooke Street Pier | Brooke Street Pier Development Corporation | Pier, completed November 2014 Displacement 4,200 tons (not Gross Tonnage) |
| N/A | 078 | 24m | | 2015 | Ocean Tracker | Manly Fast Ferry | Entered service 23 December 2015 |
| N/A | 079 | 24m | | 2015 | Ocean Wave | Manly Fast Ferry | Entered service 23 December 2015 |
| N/A | 080 | 33m | | 2016 | Ocean Surfer | Manly Fast Ferry | Entered service March 2016 |
| | 081 | 33m | | 2016 | Ocean Flyer | Manly Fast Ferry | Entered service March 2016 |
| | 082 | 35m | | 2016 | Catherine Hamlin | Sydney Ferries | In service |
| | 083 | 35m | | 2017 | Fred Hollows | Sydney Ferries | Entered service 26 June 2017 |
| | 084 | 35m | | 2017 | Victor Chang | Sydney Ferries | In service |
| | 085 | 35m | | 2017 | Pemulwuy | Sydney Ferries | In service |
| | 086 | 35m | | 2017 | Bungaree | Sydney Ferries | In service |
| | 087 | 35m | | 2017 | May Gibbs | Sydney Ferries | Entered service December 2017 as Emerald 6, renamed January 2018 |
| | 088 | 109m WPC | 10,842 | 2017 | KatExpress 3 | Molslinjen | Entered service June 2017. 1,000 pass, 417 cars. |
| | 089 | 110m WPC | 9,044 | 2018 | St John Paul II | Virtu Ferries | For service in Malta, due to commence operations in March 2019. |
| | 090 | 35m WPC | | 2017 | Bellarine Express | Port Phillip Ferries | 405 passengers. In service on Port Phillip between Melbourne Docklands and Portarlington |
| | 091 | 111m WPC | 10,870 | 2019 | Volcán de Tagoro | Naviera Armas | 35 knots cruising speed. 1,1184 passengers, 390 cars, 595 lane metres of ro-ro cargo. Cost €74 million |
| N/A | 092 | 33 metres | | 2018 | Ocean Adventurer | Manly Fast Ferry | Operates on Port Jackson, Sydney. seats 400 |
| N/A | 093 | 111 metres | | 2021 | Volcán de Taidia | Naviera Armas | |
| N/A | 094 | 100 metres | | 2021 | Buccoo Reef | Government of Trinidad and Tobago | Operates between Port of Spain and Scarborough. |
| N/A | 095 | 35 metres | | 2019 | Geelong Flyer | Port Phillip Ferries | Operates between Melbourne & Geelong complementing the earlier Melbourne to Portalington service. |
| | 096 | 130 metres | 13,000 | | | Buquebus | Will be the world's largest aluminium ship. 226 cars, 2,100 passengers in four classes with a full deck for cafes, restaurants, shops, etc. To operate between Argentina and Uruguay. |
| N/A | 097 | 76 metres | 3000+ | 2022 | Santa Monica 1 | Seaworld Express Ferry | Operates between Jindo and Jeju in South Korea. 700 pax and crew, 79 cars. Media release. |
| N/A | 098 | 120 metres | | | . | Undisclosed | . |
| | 099 | 76.7 metres | 3000+ | 2023 | El Dorado Express | Daezer | To operate between Pohang and Ulleung in South Korea at up to 50 knots. Media release. |
| Image | Hull no. | Length / class | Gross tonnage | Delivered | Latest name | Operator | Notes |
In the "Length / class" field of the table WPC means the vessel is a wave piercing catamaran. The three K class vessels were a low profile design without the wave piercing bows and the capacity to carry fewer cars than traditional Incat designs.
In the competitive ferry industry, ships often change operators, especially in Europe. Other ferries have alternated between summer service in the northern and southern hemispheres every six months. Some Incat vessels of the 1990s have been operated by up to six shipping companies with regular name changes.
Gross tonnage is a measure of a ship's enclosed volume rather than its weight or displacement, so similar ships can have differing gross tonnages due to factors such as whether a viewing platform is fully enclosed or open to the weather.