Production of Tallink LNG Fast Ferry Begins

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Thursday August 6, 2015

Production of AS Tallink Grupp's new liquefied natural gas (LNG) fast ferry has begun, shipbuilder Meyer Turku Oy announced this week. 

Once operational, the 49,000 gross tonnage ferry will operate a route between Tallinn and Helsinki ferrying up to 2800 passengers.

The ferry was first announced late last year, and cost Tallink roughly €230 million ($284.6 million).

Fashioned for use within Emission Control Areas (ECAs), the ferry will also reportedly sport an energy-efficient hull and was designed to accommodate fast cargo turnaround at ports.  

"The environmental performance and many innovative solutions in the technical and service areas will be benchmarks for the market and also our shuttle service in general," said Tallink CEO Janek Stalmeister

The ship is being built at Meyer Turku's shipyard in Finland and is scheduled to be delivered in early 2017. 

"With the new Tallink fast ferry we are taking the next step in the technical development of the LNG ferries – all tailored to the specific needs of our customer," said Meyer Turku CEO Jan Meyer.

"For the Turku yard, this order boosts our production volume in 2016 by 30 percent above the 2015 level." 

It was also reported earlier this year that the ferry will feature a LNG fuel system designed by Cryo AB, a subsidiary of The Linde Group.