Estonia-based shipping company Tallink Grupp and Rauma Marine Constructions signed a letter of intent for the construction of a new LNG-powered shuttle ferry for the Tallinn-Helsinki route.
The vessel is expected to cost about 250 million euros ($287m) and will be built at the Rauma shipyard in Finland, according to a Tallink Grupp statement on Thursday.
The construction of the new LNG-powered vessel is expected to be completed by the end of 2021.
The ferry will be dual-fuel operated, using LNG as its main fuel and will have capacity for 2,800 passengers.
“Tallink Grupp has put a great deal of resources and effort into developing the Tallinn-Helsinki route for decades. With the launch of the shuttle service over ten years ago, we have built a bridge between the two capitals, offering year-round frequent departures and thus bringing the two countries closer together,” Tallink Grupp’s CEO Paavo Nõgene said.
“The next step on our journey is the continuous development and improvement of that service. Megastar was the first giant leap forward for us and the new ship will be a similarly momentous achievement,” Nõgene said.