By
Rebecca Gibson |
Estonia-based shipping company Tallink Grupp has ordered an environmentally friendly car and passenger ferry from Finnish shipyard Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC).
To be delivered in December 2021, the €250 million (US$288 million) Tallink Shuttle ferry will accommodate 2,800 people and will provide services between Helsinki, Finland and Tallinn, Estonia. The vessel will be equipped with the latest technology and systems to ensure she is as energy-efficient and environmentally friendly as possible.
RMC, which has previously worked on six Tallink Grupp ferries, will begin planning the newbuild in spring 2019 and commence construction in 2020. The Tallink Shuttle is RMC’s largest newbuild order to date and the company predicts it will take around “1,500 person-years” to complete, so it has started a recruitment drive.
“It is a great honour to be signing a letter of intent with our old friends at Tallink who have always shown appreciation for the shipbuilding expertise in Rauma,” said Jyrki Heinimaa, CEO, Rauma Marine Constructions. “This is an opportunity for us to utilise our longstanding experience and to help steer the ship traffic between Finland and Estonia in a more environmentally friendly direction.”
The specific details of the contract and financial arrangements will be finalised in the coming months.