Keel for new Wasaline ferry laid at Rauma shipyard

Keel-laying of the new ferry for Finnish operator Wasaline (Source: Wasaline)
The first keel block of a new ferry for Wasaline has been laid at Rauma Marine Constructions in Finland. The ferry, to be called Aurora Botnia, will operate between Vaasa in Finland and Umeå in Sweden and is claimed to be the most environmentally friendly large RoPax ferry currently under construction. With capacity for 1,500 passengers and 1,500 lane metres for freight, the EUR 120 million Aurora Botnia is due for delivery in spring 2021.
The vessel will have four main engines from Wärtsilä running on LNG and liquefied biogas as part of a hybrid power generation system including batteries, partly for electric propulsion when operating in or near harbours. The biogas will come from a plant in Vaasa which produces gas from recycled materials.
Wasaline managing director, Peter Ståhlberg, commented: “I’m very proud that we have reached this milestone. Laying the keel is an event that we have been looking forward to for some time. Now, we can see years of planning become a reality.” He added that the vessel will incorporate the most cutting-edge and environmentally friendly technology and will have a Finnish content of more than 80%. Construction will make a significant contribution to local employment, generating about 800 person years of work.