The second hybrid Superstar freight-passenger vessel delivered to Finnlines
Finnlines took delivery of Finncanopus, which is the second of two Superstar-series freight-passenger (ro-pax) vessels, at the China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Weihai, China, on 12 December 2023. The vessel will enter Finnlines’ line between Finland and Sweden (Naantali–Långnäs–Kapellskär). Finncanopus is scheduled to start in traffic in February 2024.
The combined freight and passenger vessel Finncanopus was delivered to Finnlines today. To commemorate the delivery, a ceremony with representatives from Finnlines and the shipyard was held on site. The homeward voyage is expected to take 6–7 weeks as Finncanopus will be nearly fully loaded with freight and will call several ports before entering the Baltic Sea. Finncanopus is scheduled to begin service in February 2024.
The new ro-pax vessels are part of Finnlines EUR 500-million Green Newbuilding Programme, which has now been completed. The programme comprised two hybrid ro-pax and three hybrid ro-ro vessels, all equipped with state-of-the-art eco-friendly technology. The first Superstar ro-pax vessel, Finnsirius, was delivered to Finnlines in July and she entered the Naantali–Långnäs–Kapellskär route in September 2023. Finncanopus will join Finnsirius on the route, departing from Naantali in the evening and from Kapellskär in the morning. The three hybrid ro-ro vessels started operating in summer 2022.
The two sister vessels are the largest ro-pax vessels in the Finnlines fleet. Both have 5,200 lane metres for cargo and both have been certified to carry 1,100 passengers.
Finnlines core business is carriage of freight to serve Finnish and European exports and imports, but passenger traffic is also integral in its operational concept. The Åland Islands, like mainland Finland, are fully dependent on maritime bridges. In particular, for residents commuting between Åland and Sweden or Finland, a scheduled liner services is crucial. Moreover, Finnlines’ ships have always space to accommodate passenger vehicles.
Finnlines is a shipping operator of freight 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 several destinations in the Mediterranean, West Africa, Atlantic coast of both North and South America as well as Asia and Australia.
