seatec - Finnish marine technology review 1/2013 | Page 10

Photos: Sini Pennanen Running on liquefied natural gas (LNG), Viking Line’s new cruise ship – M/S ’Viking Grace’ – is considered to be the most environmentally friendly cruise ferry ever built. The hydrodynamic hull decreases fuel consumption and minimises wave formation, thereby protecting the vulnerable archipelago areas of the Baltic Sea. The ship raised anchor for its maiden voyage from Turku to Stockholm on 13 January, 2013, and started regular service on 15 January. I n September 2011, STX Finland Oy’s had extensive experience of building large Port specifications has been taken into ac- Turku shipyard started the production cruise ships, this one was the very first to count. of a new-generation cruise ferry to be built for Viking Line. utilise LNG fuel. The ship is powered by four dual- Within the Baltic Sea region, the fuel Wärtsilä 8L50DF main engines yield- Even before this, it was known that forthcoming International Maritime Or- ing 30 400 kW of engine power. The mo- M/S ’Viking Grace’ would be 214 metres ganisation (IMO) regulations will be very tor cooling water is utilised for heating in length and carry approximately 2 800 strict. The use of LNG fuel provides major domestic water and for producing clean passengers plus a 200-member crew. The environmental advantages: by utilising nat- water from sea-water. ship would be equipped with two sepa- ural gas, the hazardous emissions will de- Because of a new noise-reduction rate engine rooms – as a safety feature – crease to a minimum. For Viking Line’s new technique, the ship is very quiet while on and the number of cabins would be 880. ship, all pollution into the sea was elim- the sea and in the harbour. The glass in inated, as were practically all SOx emis- the ship’s windows has a high insulation sions into the air. capacity. ALL EMISSIONS MINIMISED Also, maritime safety of the new For STX Finland’s Turku shipyard, building cruise ferry was designed in accord- FUEL TERMINAL IS STILL the ship took approximately 2 600 man- ance with the latest international regu- ON THE DRAWING BOARD years of labour. While the shipyard already lations. For instance, the Safe Return to The number of LNG fuelled ships around 8 seatec 1/2013