UM Shipyard Sets Out Efficiency-Led Case with SENSUS 42 High-Speed Ferry

The yard’s SENSUS 42 (41.90 m LOA, 12.80 m beam) is now in its final build phase, with sea trials planned for Q2 2026, following an extended CFD development programme and tank testing.

UM Shipyard says the vessel has been engineered to minimise resistance and lower the installed power needed to achieve high-speed operation, aiming to offer operators an alternative to conventional aluminium high-speed catamarans—particularly where fuel cost, operating range and schedule resilience are key concerns.

Efficiency by design, independent of propulsion pathway

Rather than treating propulsion as the primary decarbonisation lever, UM Shipyard is emphasising hydrodynamic performance as the “upstream” variable that can benefit any powertrain choice. The company states that, versus comparable conventional fast ferries, the SENSUS 42 hull is intended to deliver lower fuel consumption (a design target) by reducing drag and power demand.

On the same theme, the yard notes that SENSUS 42 is designed around 2 × 1,340 kW installed power (total 2,680 kW) for a 34-knot maximum speed at full load.

Draft-adjustable concept aimed at seakeeping and reliability

UM Shipyard also highlights a draft-adjustment concept intended to support both high-speed operation and a rough-sea stability mode. The yard says the vessel is designed to remain comfortable at around 2.5 m wave height (design target), aiming to protect passenger comfort and schedule reliability on more exposed routes.

Platform approach and roadmap

SENSUS 42 is presented as the first of a broader platform direction, with the yard pointing to potential future scaling toward larger RoPax applications based on the same efficiency-led design philosophy.

Key particulars

• Length overall: 41.90 m

• Beam: 12.80 m

• Displacement: 147 t (performance mode), 191 t (rough-sea mode)

• Installed power: 2 × 1,340 kW diesel engines

• Propulsion: Fixed-pitch propellers

• Speed: 34 knots (full load)