Finneco III, the third hybrid ro-ro vessel set for the Finnlines fleet, has been launched from the China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Jiangsu) in China.
The new vessels have been designed to improve energy efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of the company’s fleet. They feature lithium-ion battery systems to enable zero-emissions port visits, and two low-emission two-stroke engines capable of outputting 12,780kW each. Furthermore, emission abatement systems, solar panels and an air lubrication system have all been installed to reduce the vessels’ emissions further.
The Finneco series vessels are 238m long and can achieve a speed of 20.7kts. They have a cargo capacity of 5,800 lane meters, which is nearly 40% more than the company’s largest current ro-ro.
Finneco III was built as part of Finnlines’ €500m (US$563m) Newbuilding Programme, which comprises the three hybrid ro-ro vessels and two eco-sustainable Superstar ro-pax vessels. The ro-ro ships will begin operating in Finnlines’ Baltic, North Sea and Biscay traffic in 2022, and the Superstar ro-pax vessels will service the Naantali–Långnäs–Kapellskär route starting in 2023.
“Our ambitious strategy to expand services is a response to growing demand,” commented Emanuele Grimaldi, CEO of Finnlines. “We will bring a total of five new vessels to traffic over the next few years, which will increase our cargo and passenger capacity significantly. We are improving our performance while at the same time reducing the environmental impact of our fleet. The hybrid vessels will be among the most innovative and efficient ships in the world and are part of the investments we make in the responsible and sustainable operations of our fleet.”