Shortly before delivery of the new bulding[ds_preview], Finnish company Skangas has delivered the first LNG for bunkering Tallink‘s »Megastar«.
To be completed at the Meyer Turku shipyard in late January, the vessel which will be liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered was bunkered at the newly opened Skangas Pori LNG terminal, Skangas announced. Her maiden voyage will take place from Tallinn to Helsinki.
While designing the vessel, Tallink was looking for the easiest and cleanest way to comply with the stricter emission regulations of Emission Control Areas (ECAs) such as 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«, said Skangas Sales and Marketing Director Tommy Mattila.
»Megastar« is 212 m long and can accommodate 2,800 passengers. The fast ferry will operate between Helsinki and Tallinn at a service speed of 27 knots. The two stainless steel LNG tanks are located below deck 3 and have a total volume of 600 m3. The construction of the fast ferry began in summer 2015 and the launch took place in July 2016.
»It has been great to participate in the construction of the new-generation LNG-powered Tallink Megastar. Megastar is yet another proof of Meyer Turku being a global forerunner in the construction of LNG-powered ships. Hull form design and modeling helped minimize hull resistance – and therefore also minimize energy consumption during operation,« Meyer Turku Project Manager Kari Toivonen added.
