Record-breaking vessels preparing for launch
What began as a wish list from WALLENIUS SOL soon became a unique ship concept known as ‘the world’s largest ice-rated multi-fuel RoRo-ships’. And now, around two years later, their launch is not far away.
‘Now I just want to hit fast forward to the day when the ships are ready.’ So said Naval Architect Carl-Johan Söder at Wallenius Marine back in October 2019.
WALLENIUS SOL had just ordered two unique vessels with high environmental performance, especially adapted to ice states in the Gulf of Bothnia and the transport needs of the forest industry.
It’s been full speed ahead ever since at CIMC Raffles in China, where the two giant vessels are being built. No fewer than 130 huge blocks were welded together to form one of the two 242-metre mega RoRo ships with ice class 1A Super. The ships will be the world’s biggest ice-rated RoRo vessels in terms of cargo capacity and gas tank volume. Fuel consumption is reduced thanks to their creative hull design and greenhouse gas emissions are expected to decrease by 63%.
Together with a 12-man team from Wallenius Marine, site manager Henrik Sundkvist has kept work at the shipyard moving ahead. And now another major target is within sight – the launch.
‘The machinery and the three stern ramps are all in place. Next in line are the rudder, steering gear, propeller shafts and propellers. And then it’ll be time for launch,’ he says when we meet him out in the shipyard in Yantai, China.
After the launch, there will be a few intensive months of tests in port, equipment installation and sea trials with each of the fuels. Then it will be time for the record-breaking ship to head toward home waters in the Gulf of Bothnia before entering service around the continent of Europe.
Technical data
Maximum speed: 20 knots
Beam: 35.2 m
LOA: 242 m
Dead weight: 27,000 tonnes
Engines: Multi-fuel (compatible with LNG, LBG, diesel and synthetic diesel)
