Balearia launches its second LNG ferry in Italy

Spanish shipping company Baleària said the second of its LNG-fueled ferries, Marie Curie, has hit the water in the Italian Cantiere Navale Visentini shipyard. 

Balearia said Marie Curie’s sister vessel Hypatia de Alejandria is close to completing construction and is planned to run sea trials and navigation tests in the coming weeks.

Hypatia de Alejandria is scheduled to start operations at the beginning of next year in the Mediterranean with Marie Curie to follow a few months after.

The launched vessel, Marie Curie, has exceeded the 50 percent construction mark, Balearia said in its statement, noting that both LNG-fueled engines, as well as LNG tanks, have been set in place.

The construction of the two vessels is valued at €200 million ($225.7 million).

Both of the ships will be 186.5 meters long with a maximum speed of 24 knots and the capacity for 810 people, 2,100 linear meters of cargo and 150 vehicles.