Clean technology company Silverstream Technologies has won an order from Finnlines to install its air lubrication technology on two newbuilding ropaxes.
The first vessel is due to commence construction this summer at China Merchants Nanjing Jinling Shipyard (Weihai).
Sivlerstream’s patented air lubrication Silverstream System will reduce fuel consumption and associated emissions on the two newly designed flagship ‘Superstar’ vessels.
The two 235 m long vessels, which will have a capacity of 5,100 lane metres and will carry up to 1,100 pax, will be delivered by 2023 to operate between Finland and Sweden.
Silverstream’s technology will be fitted alongside other measures on the vessels to reduce the environmental impact and improve passenger comfort.
This system uses a series of air release units (ARUs) in the flat bottom of a vessel to generate a rigid carpet of microbubbles that travel the full length of the hull.
Silverstream has already begun manufacturing the air release units (ARUs) for the two vessels and will start working with China Merchants Nanjing Jinling Shipyard to install the technology on board.
Noah Silberschmidt, Silverstream Technologies CEO, said: “We are proud to unveil the part that Silverstream is going to play to make Finnlines’ ‘Superstar’ ropax vessels, the most advanced passenger-freight ships on the market today. We are excited to get to work on installing our technology on board these cutting edge vessels.
“Navigating the complexities of international supply chains – particularly as we continue to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic – requires strong partnerships and collaboration. The team at Silverstream is eager to collaborate once again with our long-term partners at Grimaldi Group and China Merchants Group to not only execute a successful project but push the boundaries for efficient vessel design,” he said.
Emanuele Grimaldi, Finnlines CEO, added: “We are constantly renewing and developing our fleet, and the upcoming three hybrid ro-ros, as well as two eco-sustainable ‘Superstar’ ro-paxes, are a next step in the evolution of Finnlines’ fleet.
“These new vessels will increase our cargo and passenger capacity significantly and, together with our connections, we can meet the needs of our customers better – in a sustainable and responsible way,” he said.
Mikael Lindholm, Head of Newbuilding Department, Finnlines, commented: “Finnlines has chosen Silverstream Technologies based on their extensive experience, since they have invested significantly in research and development. We look forward to collaborating with them in future.”
This contract follows the recent completion of trials of the Silverstream System on another Grimaldi Group newbuilding ro-ro vessel, ‘Eco Valencia’.
Fuel and emissions savings of 5.1% were recorded during ALS testing on the Grimaldi Green 5th Generation freight ro-ro. Silverstream is continuing to install systems across the rest of Grimaldi’s GG5G fleet.
