Scandlines has officially named its new battery-powered freight ferry, christening the vessel The Baltic Whale.
The vessel, which is set enter daily service on the Rødby-Puttgarden route in the near future, is one of the world’s largest battery-powered ferries, and marks an important step in the company’s overall strategy to sail without direct emissions by 2040.
Now in its final preparation phase in the lead up to commissioning; The Baltic Whale has undertaken a number of sea trials, and is capable of operating without direct emissions throughout its crossing operations.
The vessel’s deployment is set to increase Scandlines capacity for transporting freight units on the Rødby–Puttgarden route by 27% thanks to dedicated spaces for up to 66 cargo units, trucks on both decks and the ability to handle more dangerous goods in an efficient and structured setup.
Michael Guldmann Petersen, COO of Scandlines, said:The Baltic Whale is an important step in Scandlines' green development and in our work to reduce direct emissions in our operations.
At the same time, she is built to deliver what our customers expect from us every single day: stability and high operational reliability on one of our most important routes. We are very much looking forward to taking her into service on the Fehmarnbelt.
Capable of completing the 18.5km crossing in roughly 45 minutes; The Baltic Whale can be charged in 12 minutes at each port, and has been equipped with diesel generators that can be used when necessary. It can carry up to 140 passengers, and measures in at a length of 147.4 metres.
