Viking reveals plans for electric service in Baltic

Finland’s Viking Line is planning to launch an emissions-free green corridor across the Gulf of Finland between Helsinki and Tallinn in Estonia. The concept, called Helios, is based on design of the world’s largest fully electric ferry with capacity for 2,000 passengers and the potential to complete the 43-nautical mile passage in just over two hours.

The concept vessel is likely to have battery capacity of 85 and 100 MWh enabling a service speed of about 23 knots. The 195m-long ferry will also have about 2,000 lane-metres for freight cargo.

The concept is a result of collaboration between Viking Line and Rauma Shipyard, amongst others. The route is well-suited to electric vessel traffic, the partners said, with the ferry’s batteries charged during each port turnround. It will require a charging capacity of more than 30MWh.

Viking Line’s CEO, Jan Hanses, said: “Helios heralds a new era in maritime transport, just like the first sail, steam, and motor ships did in their time. The concept proves that large-scale emission-free maritime transport is no longer a utopia. The world’s largest fully electric passenger-car ferries could be in operation as early as the beginning of the next decade. We are strongly committed to realising the ambitious vision that Helios represents.

“It is great that both cities and their ports have committed to creating a green maritime corridor,” Hanses continued. “Electric shipping is not created solely by ship investments. It also requires efficient, reliable charging infrastructure in ports. The home port for the new electric vessels would be Jätkäsaari, where the Port of Helsinki has a development and expansion programme underway until 2032.”