High-speed craft

A high-speed craft (HSC) is a high speed water vessel for civilian use, also called a fastcraft or fast ferry. The first high-speed craft were often hydrofoils or hovercraft, but in the 1990s catamaran and even monohull designs have become popular. Most high-speed craft serve as passenger ferries, but the largest catamarans and monohulls also carry cars and even buses and freight (e.g. Stena's HSS). Hulled designs are often powered by pump-jets coupled to medium speed diesel engines. Hovercraft are usually powered by gas turbines or diesel engines driving propellors and impellors.