Virtu Ferries has announced the purchase of a brand new high speed ferry for the route between the harbour town of Mġarr in Gozo and the capital of Malta, Valletta.

The HSC Gozo Express was designed by the Australian high-speed ferry designers Incat Crowther and will be registered under the Maltese flag. It has a length of a whopping 42.2 metres, with a carrying capacity of 322 passengers, in air-conditioned lounger on two decks, as well as outside seating for 40 passengers on the upper deck.

According to Virtu Ferries, Gozo Express is powered by four MTU 12V000 M72 engines and four Rolls Royce water jets and is capable of a maximum speed of over 38 knots, and a service speed of 35 knots. She successfully completed the sea trials towards the end of last year and is expected to be delivered to the company by mid-March of this year.