Finnlines to launch two new ro-pax vessels in autumn 2023
The first of two new cargo-passenger, or ro-pax, vessels will start operating on the Naantali–Långnäs–Kapellskär route in autumn 2023. The vessels are part of the shipping company’s EUR 500 million investment programme, which focuses on state-of-the-art ro-pax and ro-ro vessels, according to the company's release.
The freight and passenger shipping company Finnlines’ new Superstar class ro-pax vessels, Finnsirius and Finncanopus, will significantly enhance the company’s passenger experience. Both vessels will have a capacity of 1,100 passengers, which is about twice the capacity of existing ro-pax vessels on the route. The cargo capacity will increase from just over 4,000 lane metres in the current vessels to 5,200 lane metres.
The new vessels will feature high-quality restaurants, a sauna and spa section, business and lounge facilities, extensive shopping areas and a variety of other services. A lot of the processes will be digitalised, and self-service kiosks will make it easy to handle things on board the paperless ships.
The new ro-pax vessels are part of Finnlines’ EUR 500 million Newbuilding Programme. The investments of half a billion will not only bring new fleet capacity to the Baltic Sea, but will also develop and improve the company’s existing fleet.
Finnlines commissioned a survey of passengers’ wishes and expectations in August. More than 1,000 Finnish people who had made a crossing in recent years responded to the survey. The results show that although the Covid pandemic was a huge challenge for the tourism industry, almost half of Finnish people (48 per cent) travelled by ferry in the past two years.
Finnlines is a shipping operator of ro-ro and passenger services in the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and the Bay of Biscay. The company is a part of the Grimaldi Group, one of the world’s largest operators of ro-ro vessels and the largest operator of the Motorways of the Sea in Europe for both passengers and freight. This affiliation enables Finnlines to offer liner services to and from any destination in the Mediterranean, West Africa as well as the Atlantic coast of both North and South America.
