Griffon Hoverwork has secured one biggest ever deals, worth more than £25 million, to supply three 12000TD craft to Japan. The deal with the Oita Prefecture government will see the hovercraft providing a vital passenger service connecting Oita Airport in Kunisaki with Oita City, improving access and reintroducing a ferry route last used about 10 years ago.

Work on the first hovercraft will start at the end of January 2022, with the final craft set to be delivered to the customer before January 2024.

The firm’s experienced design team is working with the Japanese Government and Japanese suppliers to adapt the 12000TD’s design to local requirements. The 23.7m long craft will carry approximately 80 people with a payload of 12 tonnes and a top speed of 45 knots.

The 12000TD is already used by Hovertravel in the UK, to link Ryde on the Isle of Wight with Southsea in Portsmouth. The craft has proved to be a versatile and efficient passenger hovercraft, with the ability to transport high passenger numbers quickly and comfortably across the Solent and has also been adapted to support critical NHS ambulance transfers.

Adrian Went, Managing Director at Griffon Hoverwork, said: “Overseas clients continue to come to Griffon for the quality that we deliver. Our team are all very much looking forward to working with this latest esteemed customer and providing them with the latest British developed technology. Our work will also allow the restart of a dependable hovercraft passenger route serving the people and visitors of Oita.”

“The project will provide opportunities across the range of roles in our business, from graduate engineers, through to supply chain activity, to the complete range of marine workshop skills.”