VESSEL REVIEW | Finneco II – Finnlines’ newest large hybrid Ro-Ros boast cold climate suitability

Finnish shipping company Finnlines has taken delivery of the second and third freight-only Ro-Ro vessels in a series of three built for the company by China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Jiangsu). Designed by Danish naval architecture firm Knud E. Hansen in compliance to RINA class rules, the 17,400DWT Finneco II and Finneco III utilise the same hulls as those of a series of Ro-Ros being built in China for Italian shipowner Grimaldi Lines, Finnlines' sister company under the Grimaldi Group. Customisations were incorporated to meet the needs of Finnlines, particularly the ability to operate in cold climates thanks to Finnish/Swedish ice class 1A Super notation.

Like their earlier sister ship Finneco I, which was delivered in 2021, the steel-hulled Finneco II and Finneco III each have a length of 238 metres, a beam of 34 metres, and a cargo capacity of 5,800 lane metres across two vehicle decks. This translates into up to 400 trailers being transported on each voyage, denoting a nearly 40 per cent increase in cargo-carrying capacity compared to the next largest vessels in the Finnlines fleet.

Finnlines said efficient cargo operations will be ensured through the arrangement of stern ramps, internal ramps, and hoistable car decks. The latter feature makes it possible to load any type of rolling freight of up to seven metres in length. Certain areas on the cargo decks are dedicated for housing paper reels while the weather deck can accommodate another 520 TEUs.

The hybrid propulsion arrangement on each Ro-Ro includes a pair of 12,780kW two-stroke diesel engines and a 5MWh lithium-ion battery pack to enable reduced-emission sailings in port waters. The batteries will be recharged during navigation, through the use of shaft generators employing a peak shaving system. When operating in diesel-only mode, the vessels can reach a speed of 20.7 knots.

Each ship's emissions reduction technologies also include an air lubrication system, an exhaust gas treatment system, 600 square metres of solar panels, a waste heat recovery system, and a ballast water treatment system.

All three Finneco series Ro-Ros sail under the Finnish flag and are serving Finnlines' Baltic Sea, North Sea, and Bay of Biscay traffic. Their construction is part of a €500 million (US$511 million) investment by Finnlines into vessel newbuildings that also include two Ro-Pax ferries scheduled for delivery in 2023. The acquisition of all five ships will help Finnlines increase its overall cargo transport capacity to ensure a reliable supply of goods to and from Finland.

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