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The launch of the new 30-metre passenger ferry Isle of la Digue was announced on Tuesday.

Built by Richardson Devine Marine, the ferry is the latest Incat Crowther-designed vessel for the Seychelles operator Inter Island Express.

Requiring a very shallow draft to afford access to the operator's confined harbour berth, the Isle of La Digue is the first vessel to feature Incat Crowther's new-generation propeller tunnel, which is said to deliver efficiency gains.

The tunnel design was modelled with in-house computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software prior to being used on an active project. According to Incat Crowther, the tunnel "significantly" reduces propeller draft and yet offers a flat transom that can integrate with standard fixed or active interceptor systems.

During sea trials, the Isle of La Digue is said to have demonstrated a six percent fuel saving over the standard hull, achieving a speed of 32 knots at maximum deadweight and a "very low fuel burn" at its operational cruising speed of 28 knots.

In addition, during the design process, attention was paid to highly loaded areas of the vessel's structure in order to provide what Incat Crowther describes as a "robust and durable vessel capable of operating safely over the longer term". The structure has also been optimized to the route's specific sea conditions using Incat Crowther's in-house finite element analysis (FEA) systems.

In September, Bunker Index reported the launch of a new adventure support yacht with "exceptional fuel efficiency" that was designed by Incat Crowther.

The Australia-headquartered naval architect was also involved in designing fuel-efficient ferries for New York's first city-wide ferry system in over 100 years.