Earlier this month, Russia’s first dual-fuel RoRo-train ferry Marshal Rokossovsky set out from the Port of Tuzla, Turkey to the Port of Baltiysk, Russia.
The vessel embarked on the voyage after accepting a bunker and supply stocks, FSUE Rosmorport said.
Despite inclement weather, the ferry is expected to arrive in Baltiysk in late January 2022.
The 199-meter-long newbuild has an ice-class of Arc4. Equipped with two dual-fuel main engines, it can use liquefied natural gas (LNG) or low-sulfur diesel fuel as fuel.
Ordered by FSUE Rosmorport, the ferry was built by the Nevsky Shipyard LLC in cooperation with Turkish dockyard The Kuzey Star Shipyard. The design of the vessel was developed by the marine engineering bureau – design – SPb LLC.
In the near future, the ferry will operate on the Ust-Luga – Baltiysk route which is strategically important for Russia. Until the end of 2022, the fleet deployed on this route is planned to be reinforced by another vessel, the General Chernyakhovsky ferry, which is currently being built for FSUE Rosmorport.
The addition of the two new green ferries is expected to improve transport safety of the Kaliningrad region, redirect part of the cargo traffic which is currently going through the territories of neighboring countries to the territory of Russia, as well as provide transportation of cargo in the volumes required for domestic consumption, according to FSUE Rosmorpot.
The use of environmentally clean fuel will reduce carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere by 20-30%, nitrogen oxides – by over 90%, sulfur oxides and carbon black – by 100% compared to similar vessels running on traditional heavy fuel.
The vessel is designed to carry Russian standard railway trains with a gauge of 1,520 mm, as well as other rolling cargoes, including dangerous goods, up to 30 refrigerated containers (20-foot).