Wavelength Adds New Vessel to Fleet in Port Douglas

Wavelength Reef Cruises

The fleet of multi-million dollar reef vessels at Port Douglas is set to be boosted this month with the arrival of Wavelength Reef Cruises' Australian-built, environmentally tailored outer reef boat.

The $2.2 million, 19.6m Incat Crowther custom designed catamaran, built by Aluminium Marine, has been designed to provide a comfortable ride previously possible only with larger catamarans.

It will enable Wavelength to take snorkelers to the outer reef in small groups but with minimum fuel consumption and maximum comfort.

Wavelength's Jenny Edmondson said the new boat would join their original vessel and travel to the operator's existing moorings at Opal Reef.

“We built in Australia because Aluminium Marine, in Brisbane, has a fantastic record for quality and excellent engineering, we could be involved in the build to tailor the boat exactly to our requirements, and we were able to eco-source the materials and equipment,” Ms Edmondson said.

“Incat Crowther designed the 'Reef Ranger', the vessel funded by the Queensland and Federal Government to monitor the Reef, and we were able to use environmental studies done for that vessel on ours.

Reef Ranger showed that an aluminium boat built here has the lowest carbon footprint of production. And, in our case, the builder even had a 50kW solar system so the boat was mostly welded using solar power.

“We are operating in a natural wonder and we have an obligation to demonstrate best sustainable practices,” she added.

Tourism Port Douglas and Daintree executive officer Tara Bennett said there had been an investment of more than $12 million over the past year as local reef tour operators launched and refurbished new and existing vessels.

In April, Calypso Snorkel and Dive took delivery of Calypso TEN, the 10th new vessel it had commissioned since 1999.

“The positivity of our reef operators in investing in these new and refurbished vessels speaks volumes about the confidence in the future of the industry,” Ms Bennett said.

“In the immediate future, bookings and visitor numbers are shaping up for a good season ahead. Visitors to the Great Barrier Reef off Port Douglas will no doubt be giving these luxury new vessels the thumbs up as the high season gets under way.

Wavelength Reef Cruises

“Port Douglas would have to boast one of the most modern fleet of vessels in all of north Queensland. The two new vessels add to Quicksilver's fairly recent $3 million refurbishment of its fleet, Tropical Journeys' Calypso Blue and Sailaway's additional purchase of a Lagoon 500 last year.”

www.visitportdouglasdaintree.com