M/S Megastar, a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) -powered fast ferry owned by Estonian shipping company Tallink Grupp, has been bunkered with LNG for the first time at the newly opened Skangas LNG terminal in Pori, Finland.
Following the completion of the ship’s construction at the Finnish Meyer Turku shipyard, the new ferry will start its maiden voyage from Tallinn to Helsinki in late January, according to Skangas.
Featuring a length of 212 meters, M/S Megastar can accommodate 2,800 passengers.
Designed for the Tallinn-Helsinki route, Megastar will comply with the current and future emission regulations for the ECAs (Emission Control Areas), including the Baltic Sea.
”We’re happy that Megastar is now ready for operation and we’re able to supply her with LNG, a fuel that has excellent environmental properties as its sulphur dioxide, particulate, nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide emissions are very low. Thanks to LNG, the engine exhaust gases contain hardly any nitrogen oxides, which are particularly harmful as regards issues such as the eutrophication of the Baltic Sea,” Tommy Mattila, Skangas Sales and Marketing Director, said.
The construction of the fast ferry began in summer 2015 and the launching ceremony took place in July 2016.