Following an order for three hybrid sto/ro ultra large green vessels at Jinling Shipyard in 2018, Finnlines recently signed an order for two ro-paxes from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Weihai), previously known as AVIC Weihai.
Both shipyards are now part of China Merchants Group.
Called ‘Superstar’ ro-paxes, they are expected to be delivered by 2023. They will be larger than the existing ‘Star’ class vessels and will be Grimaldi Group company Finnlines’ flagships both in terms of size and technology.
With a length of about 230 m, their loading capacity will be 5,100 lane m for rolling freight, plus around 1,100 pax.
The vessels will have the highest Finnish/Swedish ice class.
The latest concept combines the best of both cargo and passenger vessels, the company claimed. The ro-paxes are designed to have several types of seating and public areas, plenty of outdoor areas and adequate areas in which to serve different kinds of groups.
They are also designed with a focus on fast and efficient cargo handling to guarantee Finnlines’ customers a short turnaround time.
Customer experience will be taken to a new level through digital services – from check-in to on board services and feedback collection.
“We want to provide a high-quality service to our customers respecting all aspects of the environmental matters. 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 mill newbuilding programme will ensure that we continue to provide premium services to our customers,” said Emanuele Grimaldi, Finnlines CEO.
