LNG RO PAX delivered to Baltic operator

Chinese shipbuilder Guangzhou International Shipyard, located in southern China, delivered the 200-meter long, 25.20m beam vessel on 14 December 2018.

The 4,800 dwt vessel will have the capacity for about 1650 passengers and 1750 trailer lane meters and a service speed of 28.5 knots. The vessel will operate between Visby on the Baltic island of Gotland and the Swedish mainland.

The vessel was designed by Denmark’s OSK. The ship designers have established a joint venture with Chinese partners to commercialise the RoPax designs. The vessel is powered by four Wärtsilä dual-fuel engines capable of LNG-only operation.

The vessel has been designed to meet future environmental standards for operating in the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea’s designation as a MARPOL Annex IV special area for passenger ship sewage will take effect from 1 June 2019 for new vessels and from 1 June 2021 for existing vessels. Passenger vessels will be require to remove nutrients – including nitrogen and phosphorous – from wastewater before discharge. The Baltic’s NOx Emission Control Area (NECA) will take effect from 1 January 2021.

The shipyard is contracted to deliver a second ROPAX, MS Thjelvar, with sea trials expected in early 2019 and delivery in mid-2019.