Derecktor Shipyards have been awarded a contract with the Woods Hole Steamship Authority for the construction of a 41-meter high-speed catamaran ferry to be built at the yard's facility in Mamaroneck, NY. Delivery is slated for May of 2000. Derecktor Shipyards has tackled this contract in association with leading high-speed ferry designers, Nigel Gee and Associates of Southampton, England. "Following the tremendous success of the NGA designed 45m, 57 knots, catamaran ferry for Buquebus, we feel very comfortable working with NGA" says Derecktor Shipyard's General Manager, Gavin Higgins, "The previous vessels we have built to NGA designs, have always surpassed the contract performance requirements."

The vessel is powered by Paxman 12VP185 diesel engines driving Kamewa 71SII water-jets to provide a speed of 36 knots with a full load of 300 passengers. In addition to hull modifications that improve sea keeping, the vessel is fitted with an active T-foil and trim tab ride control system from Maritime Dynamics to provide a high level of passenger comfort. A particularly critical issue for the Woods Hole Steam Ship Authority is the wake wash generated by the vessel when operating in the wash sensitive areas at either end of the route. The proven low wash characteristics of the NGA38m therefore played a major role in the selection of the vessel. In independent tests carried out by Washington State Ferries, the NYFF ferry design was shown to have the lowest wake wash of any fast catamaran operating in North America that had been tested.