Finnlines names 1st of two Superstar vessels

The new ro-pax vessel Finnsirius, part of Finnlines EUR 500-million Green Investment Programme, was named at a festive ceremony in Naantali on 13 September 2023.

Following the tradition at maritime namings, ship’s godmother Tiina Ahola, representing the Ahola Group, broke a bottle of champagne against the bow, wishing the ship, its crew and passengers good fortune and fair winds.

The choice of Tiina Ahola as Finnsirius’ godmother celebrates the long-standing cooperation between Finnlines and the Ahola Group, together upholding a large part of the Finnish trade.

“Finnlines has been one of the most important companies, a trustworthy pillar within Finnish’ imports and exports, which was celebrated today at the naming ceremony. While executing our Green Investment Programme, we have taken a giant leap forward and can now offer more efficient and environmentally friendly solutions to freight customers and private passengers. We are proud to continue being the main carrier of Finland’s imports and exports and emergency supplies for many years to come,” says Tom Pippingsköld, President and CEO of Finnlines.

The 1 A Super ice-class vessel, boasts an overall length of 235.6 meters and a molded breadth of 33.3 meters, with a gross tonnage of 65,692 and an impressive deadweight capacity of 11,980 tons.

Offering a remarkable 5,200 lane meters of cargo space, the Finnsirius is designed to achieve speeds ranging from 16.3 to 21.0 knots, thanks to its powerful engine output of 4 x 7,200 kW.

Flying the flag of Finland, the vessel can accommodate up to 1,100 passengers in its 323 passenger cabins.

The Finnsirius incorporates cutting-edge emission reduction technology. These include air lubrication, a battery pack, exhaust gas abatement, and onshore power, along with features such as auto-mooring, waste heat recovery, and a ballast water treatment system.

Three new hybrid ro-ro vessels started operating in summer 2022 and Finnsirius is the first of two Superstar ro-pax vessels that are the largest in the Finnlines fleet.

The second vessel, Finncanopus, is expected to be delivered by the end of 2023.

“Finnsirius is Finnlines’ new eco-efficient flagship, designed specifically for the fast-paced freight transport route between Finland and Sweden. At the same time, Finnsirius offers upgraded services and more travel comfort than the previous generation of ro-pax vessels. Freight is Finnlines’ core business, but it is a genuine pleasure to introduce our new service concept to our passengers,” says Antonio Raimo, Line Manager at Finnlines.

Finnsirius will enter Finnlines’ Finland–Sweden (Naantali–Långnäs–Kapellskär) line and the maiden voyage sets off from Naantali on 15 September 2023.

The sister vessel, Finncanopus, is expected to join Finnsirius on the same route next year when a smaller ro-pax, Finnswan, will transfer to another Finnlines service.