The European Investment Bank has signed a EUR 70 million loan with Kvarken Link Oy, a special purpose vehicle jointly owned by the municipalities of Umeå in Sweden and Vaasa in Finland, to buy a new ferry to transport passengers and vehicles between their two ports.
The new ice-class 800 passenger/car ferry will be built by Rauma Marine Constructions in Finland. It is expected to be delivered in 2021, and will fly the Finnish flag.
The new ship will be equipped with a dual-fuel engine, which can lead to a significantly improved environmental performance in comparison to the existing ferry, while also improving the passenger service quality and increasing the freight capacity on the existing route.
The project also regards port upgrade works, which are necessary for receiving the new vessel at the ferry terminals in Vaasa and Umea.
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In addition, the new ship container several energy efficiency and environmental features, such as a hybrid propulsion system along with a dual-fuel engine and batteries, an electrically driven azimuth propeller system, an optimised hull design, provisions to power on through shore-side connection (cold ironing) without using its engines while in port.
At the port of Umea these regard the update of current ferry quay walls, terminal yard renovation, installation of flexible ramps and passenger gangways, the upgrade of the utility networks including the waste management system and installation of shore-side electricity and other smaller safety and protection enhancements.
At the port of Vaasa the works mainly include the installation of shore electricity and auto-mooring equipment, upgrade of the ferry terminal and passenger gangway and other smaller works.
EIB Vice-President Alexander Stubb, stated:
The growing demand in both passengers and freight now warrants a modern ship to keep both cities connected. Since climate action is one of the EIB’s top priorities, we are glad to finance this highly fuel-efficient ship, which is so much more environmentally friendly than its predecessor that the two can hardly even be compared
