Kvarken Link, Bygg nr. 6002 ved Rauma Marine Construction, RoPax "Aurora Botnia"

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KVARKEN LINK PLANS NEW FERRY BUILD

Kvarken Link has announced plans to purchase a new ferry for its Vaasa-Umeå route.

Kvarken Link has selected four shipyards, three European and one Asian, for the final round of bidding on the new ferry order.

The shipyards’ bids must be presented to Kvarken Link by August 31, 2018 at the latest.

Evaluations, clarifications and negotiations between the shipyards and financiers will be carried out in September 2018, with the aim of having the contract signed by the end of the year.

The Finnish Government has promised support of €25 million (US$29 million) and the European lnvestment Bank will grant the applied loan when the contract with the shipyard is signed.

The new ferry is planned for delivery on April 30, 2021.

Kilde: Baird Maritime

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Illustrasjon: via Kvarken Link
 
The new Kvarken ferry will be built in Raumo

The Board of Directors of Kvarken Link have today decided to enter into a Letter of Intent with Rauma Marine Constructions Oy (RMC). The decision is based upon the result of a public procurement process initiated June 2nd 2018.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mayor Tomas Häyry, expresses his appreciation of the successful process and the result achieved:

"I would like to express my highest appreciation to all involved for the hard work performed, bringing the project to a success. The Board of Directors would also like to thank everybody in their different roles for the positive development of the future business relations between Ostrobothnia and Västerbotten."

Vessel running on gas and biogas

The ship is a modern ferry with 2 cargo decks with a total capacity of 1500 lanemeters and with drive-through arrangement, and a capacity of 800 passengers.

The ferry, commissioned by Kvarken Link, is a modern ship with 2 cargo decks, will accommodate around 800 passengers and has a freight capacity of 1,500 lane metres for lorries. The vessel will be designed to be environmentally friendly, with a machinery running on a dual fuel and battery solution. The main source of fuel is liquefied natural gas. The vessel will also be able to utilise, for example, biogas produced in Vaasa.

Kvarken Link is owned by the city of Umeå and the city of Vaasa, both of whom serve as guarantors of the financing.

Delivery of the vessel will take place April 30th 2021 at the latest.

Also Mr Mathias Lindström, director of the Kvarken Council, expresses his appreciation over the decision that Kvarken Link has taken:

"This is a result of a unique teamwork in the region and at the same time a receipt that most things are possible if you dare and really believe in your case."

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Illustrasjon: RMC
 
Rauma Marine Constructions and Kvarken Link have signed the construction agreement for the new Vaasa-Umeå ferry – with both parties thanking Finnish ministries for helping implement a successful start to the project

Rauma Marine Constructions and Kvarken Link, who have commissioned the vessel, signed a letter of intent concerning the vessel one week ago (11.1.19). The following construction agreement was reached quickly and both parties thank the Ministry of Transportation and Communications of Finland, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, and the Ministry of Finance for enabling the quick execution of the agreement.

Rauma Marine Constructions and Kvarken Link have signed a construction agreement for a car and passenger ferry, set to operate between the Finnish city of Vaasa and the Swedish city of Umeå. Following the agreement, the planning of the vessel can begin with immediate effect.

“We reached an agreement in a little over a week after signing the letter of intent. Now begins the real work. We would like to express our appreciation to the ministers and officials at the Ministry of Transportation and Communications of Finland, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, and the Ministry of Finance, for their role in making this project a reality,” states Jyrki Heinimaa, Chief Executive Officer, RMC.

The ferry will be completed in 2021 and will operate daily between Vaasa and Umeå. Kvarken Link, who have commissioned the vessel, are owned by the city of Umeå and the city of Vaasa, both of whom serve as guarantors of the financing.

The vessel order, with an approximate value of EUR 120 million, will have a positive impact on employment, totaling around 800 person-years. The ferry will accommodate approximately 800 passengers and will have a freight capacity of 1,500 lane meters for lorries. The vessel will be designed to be environmentally friendly, with machinery running on a dual fuel solution: besides liquefied natural gas it can also be operated using biogas. The ferry has an ice class of 1A Super, in order to guarantee that the vessel is able to navigate as independently as possible in the challenging ice conditions that are a feature of the Kvarken region.

During autumn 2018, Rauma Marine Constructions also signed letters of intent regarding both a new ferry for Tallink, to operate the Helsinki-Tallinn route, and four combat vessels, as part of the Squadron2020 project.

Due to the growing number of orders, RMC has increased their workforce at the shipyard. Additional recruitments will take place in the near future.
 
New ferry design contract for Deltamarin

Deltamarin has signed a contract with Rauma Marine Constructions Oy (RMC) for the design of a car passenger ferry for Kvarken Link AB, a Finnish-Swedish consortium.

Deltamarin’s commission covers basic and detail design services for all hull and machinery areas. The value of the contract with RMC is about €4M. The work will be carried out over a period of 13-14 months at Deltamarin’s offices in Finland and Poland with the assistance of network companies.

“In shipbuilding at Rauma, we have a long co-operative relationship with Deltamarin and it is important to continue this spirit of collaboration into the future,” says CEO of RMC Jyrki Heinimaa.

“We at Deltamarin are very happy to continue the strategic cooperation with RMC, which we started in the MOLS project. It’s great to be part of the journey, providing engineering services and supporting RMC in executing its growth plan,” says Deltamarin CEO, Janne Uotila.

The ferry will have a freight capacity of 1,500 lane-meters for trucks on two cargo decks and she will accommodate 800 passengers. She is designed to have a low environmental impact, with machinery running on a dual fuel and battery solution. The main source of fuel is liquefied natural gas (LNG). The vessel will also be able to utilise liquefied biogas (LBG). To guarantee her ability to navigate independently during winter time in the challenging ice conditions of the Kvarken region, she will have an ice class of 1A Super.

The ferry is planned to be delivered in 2021 and she will be operating daily in the Kvarken region between the cities of Vaasa in Finland and Umeå in Sweden.

Kilde: Delta Marin
 
RMC’s new vessel to create jobs to the western coast of Finland: a substantial power system agreement reached with companies in the Vaasa region

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Rauma Marine Constructions has signed an agreement with their partner network for the delivery of a power system for the new Wasaline ferry, set to operate in the Gulf of Bothnia between the city of Vaasa in Finland and city of Umeå in Sweden. The vessel will employ a hybrid power generation system as well as an electric propulsion system rarely used in RoPax ferries, which will improve its environmental efficiency. The systems will be provided by a network of companies operating in the Vaasa area – including ABB, WE Tech, VEO, and Danfoss/Vacon.

The construction agreement for the new, environmentally friendly RoPax ferry was signed between Kvarken Link, owned by the City of Vaasa and the municipality of Umeå, and the Finnish company Rauma Marine Constructions in January. The company has now agreed on the delivery of the power generation system of the vessel, set to operate between the city of Vaasa in Finland and city of Umeå in Sweden, with its partner network. Jyrki Heinimaa, CEO of Rauma Marine Constructions, is happy to see the growth in marine technology in the Rauma area reflecting positively also along the rest of the west coast of Finland.

“A wide network of partners is very important to RMC – we could not operate without it. We are very happy to participate in building this new, environmentally friendly vessel together with our partners in the Vaasa region.”

The new vessel will replace M/S Wasa Express, delivered in 1981, in Wasaline’s service across the Gulf of Bothnia. The vessel will be equipped with an electric propulsion system, designed specifically for vessels with a high ice class. Electric propulsion systems are rare in RoPax ferries, which usually are equipped with propulsion machinery that consist of conventional diesel driven propellers through shaft lines and rudders. The new Wasaline ferry will be equipped with azimuthing propellers of Azipod type. They are rather common in cruise ships and provided by ABB. Further they enable safer and faster manoeuvering, as well as lower propeller induced vibrations and noise compared to traditional diesel driven propulsion machinery.

Reduced emissions due to new technology
The hybrid power solution for the vessel will be created together with RMC’s technology partner WE Tech Solutions Oy. The electric main switchboards will be provided by VEO, the propulsion drive system with a novel frequency converter solution will be manufactured by Danfoss/Vacon, the energy storage system with Li-Ion battery packages will be provided by Leclanché, and WEG will manufacture the generators. The energy storage system is dimensioned for the vessel’s operation in the harbour without using main engines. This means that the propulsion and the ship’s general power are battery driven. The energy storage system is charged from shore power, which is also used for the vessel’s other power needs during the stay at the harbour. Currently, most vessels use diesel generators during the entire stay at the harbour, which increases harmful emissions.

The power for the propulsors is generated by an integrated system solution, which can utilise the dual-fuel engines or the energy storage system chargeable from shore power. The main source of fuel for the highly efficient dual-fuel engines, provided by Wärtsilä, is liquefied natural gas. They can also run on biogas. This will significantly reduce the vessel’s emissions.

“The vessel’s propulsion solution with battery technology represents the latest design for emission reduction in marine transport. As an example, when the vessel is approaching the harbour, the main engines of the vessel can be switched off and the vessel can operate the remaining distance utilising battery power. This enables the vessel to arrive at the harbour with no further emissions,” explains Peter Ståhlberg, CEO of Wasaline.

The new ferry is scheduled for delivery in April 2021 and it will operate daily between Vaasa and Umeå.

Kilde: Rauma Marine Constructions
 
The construction of the new ferry started at the Rauma shipyard with festive ceremonies

The construction of the new ferry for Kvarken Link has started at the Rauma Marine Constructions shipyard during a traditional launch ceremony. The vessel, which will operate between Vaasa in Finland and Umeå in Sweden, will be the most environmentally friendly RoPax vessel in the world with a hybrid electric system with batteries and four highly efficient Wärtsilä 31DF dual-fuel engines capable of operating on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and biogas which reduce CO2 emissions by 50% compared to the previous vessel.

The start of the construction was celebrated at the shipyard on Monday 16 September with a traditional steel cutting ceremony. Kvarken Link, owned by the City of Vaasa and the Municipality of Umeå, is the owner of the new vessel with a passenger capacity of 800 passengers and 1500 lane meters of cargo capacity for trucks and cars. The ferry will operate daily between Vaasa and Umeå.

This is the world’s first RoPax ferry with a Clean Design class mark. “I am so happy to participate in this historic milestone when the new ferry is started to be built. A lot of work is behind this milestone and I want to thank all the people involved in this project so far”, says Tomas Häyry, Chairman of the Board, Kvarken Link.

“Our ferry will be something exceptional and it will feature the most advanced and reliable technology. It will be the most environmentally friendly Ropax vessel built so far”, says Peter Ståhlberg, CEO of Wasaline.

The new vessel will replace the existing Wasa Express in traffic in the spring of 2021 and will be operated by Wasaline.

Kilde: Kvarken Link
 
PROPOSE A NAME FOR THE NEW WASALINE FERRY AND WIN A TICKET FOR THE MAIDEN VOYAGE!

The construction of the new ship for Wasaline has started and we need a name for the new vessel. Now You can be part this new story by providing the name for our new Ferry.

All you need to do is to think of an amazing name for the new ship and fill in the form below and click submit.

The winning entry and the new name for the ferry will be selected by the Board of Directors of Kvarken Link.

The winner will receive an invitation to join the ship’s maiden voyage in May 2021.

 
The keel of Wasaline’s new ferry was laid at Rauma shipyard

A traditional ceremony was held to celebrate the keel laying of Rauma Marine Constructions’ newbuilding, NB6002 for Wasaline, on Thursday February 13 at the Rauma shipyard. The vessel, which will be named Aurora Botnia, will be delivered to the operator, Wasaline, in spring 2021. The new ferry will operate between Vaasa in Finland and Umeå in Sweden. The construction of the vessel will have a substantial effect on employment, totalling around 800 person-years.

The first keel-block of the new vessel was laid into Rauma shipyard’s dry dock today. The block weights approximately 210 tonnes. Laying down the keel is an important milestone in shipbuilding, and it’s often considered as the birth of the ship. Traditionally, lucky coins are placed under the keel. This time, the lucky coins were Swedish crowns and Finnish euros.

The new car and passenger ferry was ordered by Kvarken Link, a company owned by the city of Vaasa and the municipality of Umeå (Umeå Kommunföretag AB). The ferry will accommodate 800 passengers and will have a freight capacity of 1,500 lane metres for cargo. The ferry will replace Wasa Express, which now operates between Vaasa and Umeå.

The construction of the ship started in September 2019, and the next milestone will be the launching of the ship in the autumn this year. The completed vessel will be delivered to its Owner in spring 2021, with the shipbuilding project being worth around 120 million Euro in total.

The most environmentally friendly vessel in its category
The new ferry will be the first ever RoPax ferry with a Clean Design class notation. The vessel will have a hybrid power generation system, as well as an electric propulsion system rarely used in car and passenger ferries. The ferry can be considered as the most environmentally friendly large RoPax ferry under construction at the moment.

The four main engines, supplied by Wärtsilä, will run on both liquified natural gas and liquefied biogas. Thanks to this technology, emissions in the Kvarken region of the Gulf of Bothnia will decrease compared to the emissions from the vessel currently operating there. The ferry can make use of biogas from a plant in Vaasa, which produces gas from recycled materials. When the ferry is approaching the harbour or departing she can operate utilising electrical power from a rather large battery pack.

“RMC wants to be a forerunner in producing holistic solutions with cutting-edge technology. The Clean Design class notation is one example of this. Moreover, we have partnered with Aalto University and agreed on joint research and development efforts,” says Jyrki Heinimaa, President and CEO of Rauma Marine Constructions.

“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. This vessel is the most environmentally friendly large RoPax ferry in the world, its degree of domestic origin is more than 80%, and it employs the most cutting-edge, environmentally friendly technology,” says Peter Ståhlberg, Managing Director of Wasaline.

“Being involved in this unique project has been an extraordinary experience. Our ferry is a showcase for the whole shipbuilding cluster across the world and a prime example of what can be achieved through collaboration,” Ståhlberg says.

Kilde: Rauma Marine Construction

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Foto: Rauma Marine Construction
 
Production of Wasaline’s new car and passenger ferry continues uninterrupted at Rauma shipyard

Despite the exceptional circumstances due to the coronavirus pandemic, the construction of the Aurora Botnia, Wasaline’s new car and passenger ferry, is progressing according to schedule.

“We are starting to put together the last blocks and the construction of the hull, as well as the fitting of the machine rooms and car decks, is proceeding at a rapid pace. A total of seven of Aurora Botnia’s blocks will be delivered from Gdansk in Poland, of which three arrived at the end of April. We are currently fitting the blocks that were delivered,” says Johanna Kaijo, Project Manager of the newbuilding NB6002.

Construction of the cabins has also begun in Rauma. The vessel’s bow gate will be delivered to the shipyard in August, along with other equipment including side doors and a moving car deck.

In addition to RMC’s own staff, there are approximately 400 persons from RMC’s network, representing some ten different nationalities, working on the Wasaline project. The COVID-19 situation has posed additional challenges to the staffing of extra and rotating employees.

“We hope that the decisions made by the Finnish government on Monday, May 4, regarding the ease of labour movement will help this situation,” says Jyrki Heinimaa, President and CEO, Rauma Marine Constructions.

“Our vessel will be the world’s most environmentally friendly car and passenger ferry. It has been a pleasure to follow its construction and to witness how well the project has been advancing. The excellent degree of cooperation between the shipyard and its subcontractors is evident at all stages and the construction is going forward according to schedule despite the challenges,” comments Peter Ståhlberg, Managing Director of Wasaline.

The next significant phase in the construction of Aurora Botnia is the launch of the vessel in the autumn.

Kilde: RMC
 
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