News
Finferries' environmentally friendly cable ferry started operating in the Turku Archipelago
Finland’s largest and most environmentally friendly cable ferry, the battery-hybrid L-317, started operating on the Nauvo–Korppoo route at 11 a.m. today, 21 February 2023.
Finferries’ new cable ferry was built at the Crist S.A. shipyard in Poland. The cable ferry uses shore-powered battery packs as its primary energy sources, with diesel generators as a back-up.
The cable ferry is 70.2 metres long and 13.9 metres wide and has a draught of 2.5 metres. The cable ferry accommodates 52 cars, and its maximum permitted number of passengers is 200.
“L-317 replaces Prostvik 1, the ferry that previously operated on the Nauvo-Korppoo route. Since its predecessor only accommodated roughly 30 passenger cars, the new ferry almost doubles the capacity for passenger cars on this route. Prostvik 1 will be used as a reserve ferry on the route,” says Mats Rosin, CEO of Suomen Lauttaliikenne Group.
“Over the years, we have strongly focused on environmentally friendly hybrid technology to reduce our carbon footprint. The carbon dioxide emissions of the battery-hybrid cable ferry are 85 per cent lower compared to Prostvik 1. In addition to the new Nauvo–Korppoo cable ferry, the battery-hybrid ferries Altera and Elektra operate along the Archipelago Road in Parainen on the Parainen–Nauvo route, substantially reducing our company’s carbon dioxide emissions,” says Rosin.
Further information:
Mats Rosin
CEO
Press release 20.1.2023
Suomen Lauttaliikenne Oy took delivery of the new battery-hybrid cable ferry L-317, at the shipyard of Crist S.A. in Gdynia today on the 20th of January 2023.
The towing operation of the cable ferry will start in the next few days, depending on the weather, and the vessel is expected to be in Nauvo approximately three days later.
L-317, which will be put into service on the Nauvo–Korppoo route, is 70,2 meters long, 13,9 meters wide and its draught is 2,5 meters. The passenger car capacity is 52 and the maximum passenger capacity is 200.
More information:
Mats Rosin
CEO
ELY Centre cancels Järvi-Suomi road ferry service procurement
Suomen Lauttaliikenne Oy lodged a complaint with the Market Court and filed an appeal with the ELY Centre concerning the procurement decision related to the tender VARELY/3005/2019 Maantielauttaliikennepalvelu Järvi-Suomi 2025–2045.
The ELY Centre has today, 4 January 2023, announced its decision to repeal its previous procurement decision and cancel the procurement of road ferry service for the Finnish lake district (Järvi-Suomi). According to the ELY Centre’s announcement, the procurement procedure will be started over again from the beginning.
More information:
Mats Rosin
CEO
Suomen Lauttaliikenne Oy has lodged a complaint with the Market Court concerning the ELY Centre’s procurement decision
Suomen Lauttaliikenne Oy submitted a bid by the deadline of 31 October 2022 for the ELY Centre’s tender VARELY/3005/2019 Maantielauttaliikennepalvelu Järvi-Suomi 2025–2045. The tender concerns 12 ferry routes in the Finnish lake district (Järvi-Suomi).
The company has lodged a complaint with the Market Court concerning the ELY Centre’s procurement decision on the tender in question.
The complaint concerns incorrect procurement procedure and the winning bid, which was contrary to the request for tenders.
Further information:
Mats Rosin
CEO
Minister Tuppurainen christens Finferries’s newest eco-friendly Altera ferry
Finferries’s newbuilding, the battery-hybrid ferry Altera, was christened today, 14 September 2022, at Pakkahuoneenlaituri in Helsinki. The christening was attended by invited guests and the media. The traditional christening of the vessel was carried out by the godmother of the ship Tytti Tuppurainen, the Finnish Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering.
“It is an honour for us to have Tytti Tuppurainen christen the newest eco-friendly addition to our fleet. Altera allows us to reduce the carbon footprint of our operations in line with Finland’s environmental targets. Altera’s CO2 emissions decrease by more than 85 per cent compared to a similar conventional ferry operating on diesel,” explains Mats Rosin, CEO of Suomen Lauttaliikenne Group.
Altera’s energy sources are primarily batteries charged using shore power, which are always charged when the vessel docks. Alongside the batteries, the vessel will use back-up diesel power, which can be used, for example, during winters with heavy ice build-up or during power outages or other abnormal situations.
Work on the ferry was begun in July 2021 at the Polish CRIST S.A. shipyard. Finland’s first battery-hybrid ferry Elektra was built at the same shipyard. Siemens supplied the batteries, electric motors, control system and other related equipment.
“The shipyard and Siemens have valuable experience from building Elektra and we are happy that we were able to continue our successful collaboration with Altera. Altera, which was built based on the model of Elektra (received in 2017), is a significantly upgraded version in terms of its battery and hybrid technology, for example. The waste heat generated by the vessel’s systems is recovered and the ship’s energy efficient hull design is at the cutting edge of its sector. The batteries are charged with green electricity,” says Mats Rosin.
“These improvements make the vessel even more energy efficient and eco-friendly,” adds Rosin.
Finland’s second battery-hybrid ferry Altera is 104 metres long, 15.20 metres wide and has a capacity of 92 cars. Altera will begin operating along the Parainen–Nauvo route by 1 January 2023, paired up with Elektra.