Finnlines to Stretch Two More Ships

Finish RoRo operator Finnlines, part of Grimaldi Group, has decided to lengthen two additional vessels within its EUR 70 million Energy Efficiency and Emission Reduction Investment Program.

The program saw the lengthening of four vessels launched in 2017, with an option for two more.

The first two vessels, MS Finntide and MS Finnwave, have already been operating in their extended length.

The lengthening of MS Finnsky and MS Finnsun is expected to complete by the end of May 2018, while the final two vessels, MS Finnbreeze and MS Finnsea, are set to be stretched in September and December 2018.

Each lengthened vessel features 217.7 metres in length and a capacity of around 4,200 lane metres, resulting in 30 pct capacity boost.

“These two lengthened vessels in addition to the previous four, will help us meet increased demand and enable us to serve our customers more efficiently. One of our strategic decisions is to focus on improving our operational performance. This investment is also in line with sustainable development: by increasing our energy efficiency further we will contribute to reducing emissions per transported tonne,” Tom Pippingsköld, CFO of Finnlines, said.

The growing volumes and market demand have seen Finnlines sign a letter of intent for the construction of three new 7,300 lane metre ro-ro vessels, as revealed in February.

Further details on the potential order are yet to be informed by the company.