Estonia's Tallink Inks LNG Ferry Order
Estonian ferry operator Tallink said October 18 it has signed a letter of intent for the construction of a €250mn ($288mn) new LNG powered shuttle ferry.
It was signed with Finnish shipbuilder Rauma Marine Constructions late October 17 and the ship will be built at its yard in Finland and completed by end-2021.
The new ferry will be dual-fuel operated, using LNG as its main fuel and will have capacity for 2,800 passengers. It will start operating on the Tallinn-Helsinki route, further developing this important route between the two capital cities, said Tallink, adding that the aim is for the new ship to be the most energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly vessel in the Baltic Sea. Over the next few months Tallink and Rauma will work on the shipbuilding contract and financing arrangements.
Tallink already has an LNG-fuelled fast ferry Megastar that it put into service in January 2017 on its Tallinn-Helsinki route. Although built as a dual-fuel with diesel ship, Megastar (see banner photo, courtesy of Tallink) uses LNG in the current 0.1% sulphur-capped Baltic emission control area (ECA), where tighter standards apply than in most of the world's shipping lanes.
Estonian utility Eesti Gaas announced October 2 it had placed an order for an LNG bunker vessel, with bunker tank capacity of 6,000 m3, to be built by Dutch shipyard Damen by September 2020. Eesti Gaas said it will operate the vessel under a long term charter from its parent company and owner of the vessel, Infortar. “Since 2016, Eesti Gaas has expanded its LNG transport and bunkering capacity by entering into a long-term LNG bunker contract with Tallink, whose experience with LNG over the last few years and technical expertise has been extremely valuable in developing the technical concept of the new bunker vessel,” said Eesti Gaas director Margus Kaasik.