ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, recently announced that the company has won an order to deliver complete electric power plant, electrical propulsion systems and an energy management solution for Estonia-based Tallink Grupp´s new liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered fast ferry. This delivery will strengthen ABB´s position as the leading supplier of electrical propulsion systems for LNG-powered ferries.

The large-scale ferry will be built at Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland for delivery in the beginning of 2017. The vessel will be about 212 meters in length with a gross tonnage of 49,000. The ferry, planned to carry 2,800 passengers, will operate between Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, and Helsinki, the capital of Finland. The ferry route, when measured in annual passenger volumes, is the one of the most significant in the Baltic Sea region with approximately 7.4 million passengers in 2013. The passengers on the route between Helsinki and Tallinn represent the vast majority (over 80%) of the passenger traffic in the Port of Tallinn.

ABB’s delivery will help the new ship to minimize fuel and power consumption while providing reliable power supply for all the electrical power equipment and systems in the LNG powered ferry. ABB will deliver the complete power plant and propulsion systems, including efficient, well-proven synchronous propulsion motors and ACS600SD drives, medium voltage generators, the main switchboard, propulsion transformers, and thruster motors. ABB will also provide engineering, project management and commissioning services including remote diagnostic services, comprehensive training for the crew and an access to ABB´s worldwide marine service network that will guarantee a professional service contacts in both ports.

The new vessel’s energy efficiency will be taken one step further with ABB’s energy management system EMMA, which will support the vessels’ crew in managing energy-related processes, practices and decision-making, minimizing the vessels’ overall energy costs.

LNG as a shipping fuel can help significantly reduce the environmental impacts of maritime transport. With this fuel, NOx, SOx and particulate emissions can be reduced by 85-100% in comparison with heavy fuel oil (HFO). As an LNG-powered ship, the new ferry will comply with the new strict emission regulations for the Emission Control Areas (ECA), which include the Baltic Sea.

“Meyer Turku is one of Europe’s leading shipyards and we are happy to continue working with them on this advanced newbuild for Tallink Grupp,” says Heikki Soljama, Managing Director for ABB’s Marine and Ports business. “Electrical propulsion is a natural choice for modern LNG-powered ferries that require efficient and reliable solutions that increase the vessel’s flexibility. With a full delivery of power and propulsion solutions, an energy management system and service support, ABB can help Tallink Grupp optimize the operational efficiency of this new generation LNG ferry.”

“When designing the new LNG-powered ferry, we selected world-class solutions and suppliers that will make the vessel environmentally sustainable throughout and operationally efficient for many years to come. As the market leader in the Tallinn-Helsinki route, we are proud to set the standard for the next generation of passenger ferries,” says Tarvi-Carlos Tuulik, head of ship management from AS Tallink Grupp. “As ABB is the world´s leading supplier of propulsion and power systems for passenger vessels, we also expect first class support on operation.”

During the last two decades, ABB has delivered marine solutions to 34 passenger vessels built by Meyer Group, which is renowned for building many of the world’s most advanced cruise vessels.