Posted on January 16, 2019
Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) has signed a letter of intent with Kvarken Link for a ropax ferry that will run on dual fuel, LNG/biogas/diesel and batteries.
The car and passenger ferry is set to operate between the Finnish city of Vaasa and the Swedish city of Umeå. The vessel order has a value of approximately €120M (US$138M). The formal construction agreement is to be signed in early 2019, with the design and construction work set to start immediately thereafter, said RMC chief executive Jyrki Heinimaa.
He added “RMC won the public international tender thanks to our expert knowledge and technology. RMC specialises in the design and construction of car and passenger ferries. We are therefore both pleased and proud to have showcased our competence in this area. We are also very grateful for the confidence the customer has shown in RMC, having commissioned this ferry from us.”
The ferry will accommodate 800 passengers and has a freight capacity of 1,500 lane metres for lorries. The vessel will be designed to be environmentally friendly, with machinery running on a dual-fuel and battery solution, and the main source of fuel being LNG. The vessel will also utilise biogas produced in Vaasa.
The ferry has an ice class of 1A Super, guaranteeing the vessel can navigate the challenging ice conditions of the Kvarken region as independently as possible. RMC said its aim is to ensure the reliability of its vessels in all operating conditions.
Kvarken Link said that delivery will take place on 30 April 2021 at the latest.
Kvarken Link is owned by the city of Umeå and the city of Vaasa, both of whom serve as guarantors of the financing.
Rauma Marine Constructions, which operates from Rauma Shipyard, has seen rapid growth. In October and November 2018, the shipbuilding company signed letters of intent for both a new ferry for Tallink to operate the Helsinki-Tallinn route, and four combat vessels, as part of the Squadron2020 project. In addition, RMC is also currently building blocks for a cruise ship at Turku Shipyard.
Source: Passenger Ship Technology
