HSC Superexpress

Express laid up in Belfast
History
Name	HSC Express
Owner	Los Cipreses S.A.
Operator	1998-2000: Buquebus 2000-2005: P&O Portsmouth 2005-present: P&O Irish Sea
Port of registry	1998-2000: Las Palmas, Spain 2000-2002: Nassau, Bahamas 2002-2003: Montevideo, Uruguay 2003-present: Nassau, Bahamas
Route	Larne - Troon/Cairnryan
Builder	Incat, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Yard number	047
Laid down	12 May 1997
Launched	17 January 1998
Completed	1 May 1998
Status	in service
Notes	Blue Riband June 1998, Eastbound
General characteristics
Tonnage	5,902 tonnes
Length	91 m (298.6 ft)
Beam	26 m (85.3 ft)
Draught	3.7 m (12.1 ft)
Installed power	4x Caterpillar 3618 marine diesel engines
Propulsion	4x Lips LJ145D waterjet
Speed	up to 40 knots
Capacity	900 passengers 220 vehicles
Notes	IMO 9176046

The Express is a 91-metre wave piercing catamaran operated by P&O Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Delivery

During her delivery voyage on 9 June 1998, she set a record for the fastest eastbound transatlantic journey, previously held by another Incat craft Hoverspeed Great Britain (see Blue Riband), making the 3,125-mile (5,029 km) run from Manhattan to Tarifa, Spain in 3 days 7 hours 54 minutes, traveling at an average speed of 38.877 knots (72.000 km/h).

During that same voyage, the ship became the first passenger ship to cover 1,000 miles (1,600 km) or more in one 24-hour period. In covering 1,018 nautical miles (1,885 km) in one day, beating the 868-mile (1,397 km) record set by SS United States in 1952. Six weeks later sister craft HSC Fjord Cat took the record.

Mediteranean service

Following her record breaking Atlantic crossing the vessel changed name to Catalonia L and entered service with Buquebus between Barcelona and Palma and later between Ceuta, Malaga and Algeciras.

English Channel service

In 1999 she was chartered to P&O Portsmouth for service between Portsmouth and Cherbourg replacing the smaller Superstar Express and adopted the trading name Portsmouth Express though her official name remained Catalonia. Her first season as Portsmouth Express was marred by a series of serious technical problems which at one point resulted in the Superstar Express returning to the route from P&O Irish Sea. The ship operated with P&O Portsmouth during the 2000, 2001 and 2002 summer seasons and returned to Buquebus for the rest of the year, in each summer season on the Cherbourg route the ship experienced a number of technical problems which often resulted in the ship running on three or less of its four engines. In 2002 the ships marketing name became Express after P&O Portsmouth became part of P&O Ferries. In 2004 the ship was officially renamed Express but her marketing name became Cherbourg Express to differentiate the service from the Caen Express service which P&O started that year. In September 2004 the ship completed her final Portsmouth-Cherbourg sailing and the ship was laid up at A&P Birkenhead.

Irish Sea service

In 2005 her charter was transferred to P&O Irish Sea and the ship once again replaced the Superstar Express. Express remains with P&O Irish Sea on the Troon/Carinryan-Larne route.

Sister ships

The Express is one of four 91 metre wave piercing catarmarans built by Incat the other three vessels are:

• Incat 046
• Max Mols
• Fjord Cat

Express differs from the other three Incat 91m catamarans due to an addition lounge and large scenic window over the stern.