No moving of plastic bottles even at high speed sailing! AIVINT Test Ride Report In general, when a high-speed ship is lifted by the resistance of seawater, the exposed propeller makes contact with the sea surface, causing the ship to “hit the water and the bottom of the ship,” resulting in strong vertical motion and noise, which causes seasickness. Although the super-jet ship Miyajima, currently operated by Setonaikai Kisen Kaisha, is quite comfortable, it can be choppy and bumpy on the long-distance route between Hiroshima and Matsuyama (about 80 minutes), which is a long distance route for a ship that can sail at speeds of 30 knots or more. However, the AIVINT is equipped with the Foyt Linear Jet, a propulsion system developed by Foyt of Germany. The propeller covered with nozzles transmits energy without waste and stabilizes the ship like a spoiler wing in a car. The efficient water flow and stable sailing mechanism are said to be the reasons why the new vessel, AIVINT, is able to sail stably and without swaying. In fact, when the ship left Hiroshima Port and sailed to the Miyajima area at about 30 knots, I felt no particular swaying or propeller noise. I even put a plastic bottle on the window sill to test it out, and it didn’t fall off, not even a twitch. The AIVINT is a perfect vessel for enjoying the scenic beauty of the Seto Inland Sea! AIVINT is the perfect ship for enjoying the scenic beauty of the Seto Inland Sea. Although there is a bridge between Hiroshima and Matsuyama, it is a long way, and even via the Shimanami Kaido, it would take two hours. If this can be done in 80 minutes with no bumps and shakes, there is no doubt that the AIVINT is simply useful as a “usable means of transportation. However, perhaps due in part to its superior performance, AIVINT, with a gross tonnage of 120 tons and a passenger capacity of 99, is smaller than the superjet Miyajima (gross tonnage: 189 tons, passenger capacity: 153), which is currently in service. The AIVINT will provide an unprecedentedly comfortable cruise and business trip. I would like to sail again to see how comfortable it is on a day when it rains and winds are stronger.
What do you expect from the new ship AIVINT? We asked President Uchibori of Seto Inland Sea Kisen President Tatsuya Uchibori of Seto Inland Sea Kisen says that both Hiroshima and Matsuyama are also known as “cities of branch culture,” with many branches and branch offices of large corporations located in both cities. As a result, there is a considerable amount of business travel between bases, and the Hiroshima-Kure-Matsuyama route has been supported by the demand of these businesses. However, business demand has declined as remote work has become more prevalent due to the Corona disaster that began in 2020. It has not returned easily. During this period, the company launched the ferries Seaspika and Sea Paseo (in service in 2019) and AIVINT, which will be in service in 2019. He expressed his relief, saying, “I am glad that we were able to welcome the day of the launch of the vessel. The biggest factor in the construction of the new vessel was the chance to work with Foyt’s technology. According to President Uchibori, Foyt approached him to learn more about their unique technology, and after much deliberation, he decided to hire them. As long as business demand does not recover, AIVINT will have to take steps to increase tourism and inbound (foreign visitors to Japan). According to President Uchibori, in recent years “we have seen many tourists getting off at the Port of Hiroshima and heading directly to Miyajima. In response to this increase in inbound demand, the company has also built a new luggage storage space,” he said. The company has also made preparations for the effective use of AIVINT, which can travel faster than express buses and cars, such as by making it possible to transport blood products and other items. Another advantage of the new AIVINT is “fuel savings. Compared to the previous superjet Miyajima and other vessels, “fuel costs are expected to decrease by about 30%,” he said. However, the company has just announced a reduction in its cruise ferry (Sea Paseo) service due to the war in the Middle East, and Shao Uchibori expressed his regret, saying, “The reduction in service is unavoidable from a profit standpoint, but it is heartbreaking. He hopes to return to the original number of flights during the peak season. This route, operated by Setonaikai Kisen and Ishizaki Kisen, used to be used by 600,000 passengers a year before Corona, but this number has dropped to about 500,000 and has not returned to the original level. Will the new comfortable and fast ship be the catalyst for the revival of this traditional route? We look forward to watching the success or failure of the AIVINT as it travels through the Seto Inland Sea.
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