By
Rebecca Gibson |
Baltic and North Sea operator Finnlines has ordered two Superstar ro-pax ferries from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (previously known as AVIC Weihai), which will be delivered by 2023.
At 230 metres long with space for 1,100 passengers and 5,100 lane metres for rolling freight, the two newbuilds will be larger than Finnlines’ existing Star-class vessels and will be the fleet’s new flagships in terms of size and technology. The vessels will be built to meet both Finland’s and Sweden’s highest ice-class requirements and will be “pioneers in honouring green values”.
The Superstar ferries will have multiple different seating and public areas, a shopping venue and several outdoor spaces for passengers. Finnlines will also implement digital technologies to enhance check-in and onboard services.
“We want to provide a high-quality service to our customers respecting all aspects of the environmental matters,” said Emanuele Grimaldi, CEO of Finnlines. “This investment aims at energy efficiency and emission reduction, but at the same time, it is an investment for the highest passenger comfort. We want to lead the development of high-quality ro-ro and ro-pax services in the Baltic Sea region. Our ongoing €500 million newbuild programme will ensure that we continue to provide premium services to our customers.”