Finnish shipping company Meriaura has placed an order with a Chinese shipyard for a next-generation open deck carrier which will sport advanced multi-fuel engines designed for easy upgrades to operate on future low or zero-carbon fuels.
The shipbuilding contract for the 6800 DWT open deck carrier was signed with the Jiangsu Zhenjiang shipyard, with delivery expected by the beginning of 2028.
The 120-meter-long and 21,6-meter-wide 1A ice-classed DP2 vessel will primarily operate in the short sea shipping market, consistent with the rest of Meriaura’s fleet, and will be optimized for heavy project and special cargo, with a specific design focus on demanding RoRo operations.
The vessel concept, based on the two preceding open deck carriers developed by Meriaura, has been designed together with Deltamarin Finland, which will also carry out the basic design of the vessel for the shipyard.
The carrier will be equipped with three main engines, two of which will be manufactured in Finland. The medium-speed four-stroke marine engines are designed for easy upgrades to operate on future low or zero-carbon fuels, the Finnish company said.
Meriaura’s own biofuel will be part of the future fuel mix, with the vessel to also feature battery readiness via a plug-and-play setup.
”This order is a significant milestone in our ongoing fleet renewal program and marks our commitment to both our segments. An ice‑classed, Finland‑flagged open deck carrier is also a valuable asset for ensuring Finland’s security of supply. With a slightly bigger vessel size, as with the Eco Traders currently being built, we want to respond to customers’ needs even better, with greater flexibility and across a wider area,” said Beppe Rosin , CEO of Meriaura.