Tallink and Meyer Turku sign contract for new generation LNG powered fast ferry
AS Tallink Grupp and Meyer Turku Oy signed a contract for the construction of LNG powered fast ferry for Tallinn-Helsinki route shuttle operations, Tallink says in its press release. The dual fuel ship will be about 212 metres in length with a passenger capacity of 2800. The fast ferry will cost around 230 million euros and will be built at Meyer Turku shipyard for delivery in the beginning of 2017. The project will provide approximately 2000 man-years employment for the shipyard.
The new environmentally friendly ship uses LNG as fuel and she will comply with the new and stricter emission regulations for the ECA areas including the Baltic Sea. The ship, with a gross tonnage of 49 000 and service speed of 27 knots, will bring significant improvement in energy efficiency. The highly innovative hull form minimizes the flow resistance and ensures that the ship operates well in ice conditions. Efficient and fast cargo turnaround in ports has been taken into account in the design of the new generation fast ferry.
According to the contract 20 percent of the total cost will be paid during the construction period and the rest upon delivery of the vessel. The financing details will be announced by AS Tallink Grupp shortly.
CEO of AS Tallink Grupp, Janek Stalmeister Stalmeister says that Tallink wants to develop sea travel and to revolutionize business concepts and this project will be one of the attempts to succeed on that. "We have brought a new understanding to the fast ferry services with the Shuttle concept and now the time is right to take the next step. We have learned from our own experience, listened to our customers and experts and we are now very excited about the end result", added Stalmeister.
"Meyer Turku is very happy to continue the long and good tradition to build ferries for Tallink and with our new and advanced LNG propulsion plant we are lifting this partnership to the next technological level. With this contract we increase our output by 30% in 2016, which is good news for the shipyard and its suppliers and the entire region. It furthermore allows us to implement our strategy to further strengthen our capabilities by making the necessary recruits and by improving design and building methods", says Jan Meyer, CEO of Meyer Turku Oy.
AS Tallink Grupp is the leading passenger and cargo transportation service provider in the Northern region of the Baltic Sea. The company owns altogether 18 vessels and operates under the brands of Tallink and SIlja Line on 6 different routes. AS Tallink Grupp employs 7000 people and has annually up to 9 million passengers worldwide.
Meyer Turku Oy is one of the leading European shipbuilding companies owned by Meyer Werft (70 %) and Finnish State through Teollisuussijoitus (30%). The company's shipyard in Turku employs 1,350 people and specializes in building cruise ships, car-passenger ferries and special vessels. The subsidiaries of Meyer Turku are Piikkio Works Oy, which is a Cabin Factory in Piikkiö, Shipbuilding Completion Oy, which provides turnkey solutions to public spaces in ships, and ENG´nD Oy, which is an engineering company offering services for shipbuilding and offshore.
