Finnlines’ upcoming RoPax flagships set new standards
Two new RoPax hybrid vessels raise the bar for freight, passenger traffic and ecofriendly sailing. The ventilation in the ships' engine rooms and freight area is manufactured by Ilmed, Hoyer’s Italian partner, and designed for maximum energy efficiency under changing conditions.
To meet customer demands for efficient freight, comfortable shipping and eco-friendly transport, Finnlines has ordered two new ‘superstar’ RoPax ships from China Merchant’s Jinling Shipyard.
The two hybrid ferries are capable of accommodating 5,100 rail metres of vehicles and 1,100 passengers and are intended to serve as the shipping company’s new flagships on the route between Finland and Sweden from 2023. Passengers will also be able to enjoy the journey through the scenic archipelago from the spacious outdoor areas.
New standards
The two new RoPax ships will help to set new environmental and efficiency standards.
Both lighting and ventilation are specially designed to optimise energy efficiency in all possible conditions. And when the ships are in dock, land-to-shore power plants ensure that no pollution is emitted from the funnels.
Finnlines has also optimised the processes for handling goods, so that loading and unloading take place much more efficiently, which reduces the environmental impact when the ships are in port. The improvements also mean that in the aggregate, the new ships increase the cargo capacity by 40% compared to those currently sailing the route.
Robust Italian ventilation systems
Parts of the ships' HVAC system are supplied by the Italian company Ilmed Ventilation Industrial, specialists in high-performance ventilation for marine use. Ilmed has designed ventilation for ships’ cargo holds and engine rooms where airflow and pressure must function perfectly at all times. Ilmed has used 50 Hoyer marine motors on each ship to power the ventilation system's axial ventilators.
“Ilmed has extensive experience of designing ventilation systems for the areas of a ship that require robust applications, such as engine compartments, cargo holds and passenger areas. For these two ships, we have supplied explosion-proof motors from our new Ex range for marine use as well as energy-efficient IE3 motors. “Although IE3 is not a legal requirement for this project, optimising energy efficiency was a clear demand from the customer," notes Adam Slupinski, HVAC Segment Manager, Hoyer.
Asian supply chain
The HVAC installations are manufactured at Ilmed’s Italian facility. But both Ilmed and Hoyer realise the importance of the Chinese ship production market and both companies are present in China. It is therefore possible to envisage that future Hoyer projects, both with Ilmed and other European OEMs, can be undertaken locally.
“Chinese shipyards account for a large part of global ship production, and as our new Ex line is manufactured in China, it’s only natural to take advantage of the opportunity to gather all production processes close to the end customers. This will bring significant advantages in terms of faster delivery, increased flexibility and reduced environmental impact from transport,” Adam Slupinski says.
FACTS ABOUT THE NEW ROPAX SHIPS
- Built for Finland’s Finnlines shipping company
- Shipyard: China Merchants, Jinling Shipyard, Weihei, China
- Route: Finland–Sweden
- Passenger capacity: 1,100 passengers.
- Freight capacity: 5,100 metres of track, equivalent to 250 trucks.
- Dimensions: 235 metres long and 33.3 metres wide
- GT: 68,460
- Maximum speed: 20.5 knots
ABOUT THE HOYER EX MOTOR RANGE
The explosion proof Ex-marine motor range is designed for applications in explosive marine environments. The Ex motors are characterised by high quality and a proven, robust design according to international standards. All motors in the series are supplied with easy access to the necessary documentation.
