Finnlines' hybrid ro-ro vessel 'Finneco III' in the Port Gdynia

On Tuesday, 18 October, the ‘Finneco III’, Finnlines’ third eco-class hybrid ro-ro vessel, called at OT Port Gdynia’s ro-ro terminal.  The visit was a test call to test the possibility of establishing another cooperation in the future.

“Finneco III”, which is 238m long, 34m wide and has a deadweight capacity of 17,100 metric tonnes, is powered by a 2x 12780 kW main engine and also has 2x bow thrusters of 1800 kW each. The vessel can carry 400 trailers on each voyage.

“Today, a hybrid EKO-class ro-ro vessel with a loading line of more than 5 km arrived at the Port of Gdynia. It is worth noting that this is a modern vessel equipped with efficient lithium-ion batteries, which allow the ship to move with zero emissions within the port area. The upper deck is equipped with solar panels covering an area of approximately 600 square metres. This is the first such innovative and environmentally friendly vessel in our port, which fits perfectly with our focus on introducing green technologies. The vessel has been designed to be flexible for all types of roll-on/roll-off cargoes, so we have the opportunity, together with the OT Terminal and the NTA company, to develop those groups that we have known at the port for a long time, primarily paper. We have signed a letter of intent, thanks to which the project team will analyse the disciplines related to the import of paper to the Port of Gdynia and develop this branch in our port,” explains Jacek Sadaj, President of the Management Board of the Port of Gdynia S.A.

The vessel is part of the sustainable shipping trend as it is energy efficient. The vessel is equipped with engines with emission reduction technology, lithium-ion batteries and solar panels for greener operations. It is also equipped with shore-side electricity connections to achieve zero emissions while in port.

The vessel is moored in Basin V at the Czeskie Quay, which is to be used in the future to accommodate much larger ro-ro vessels.

The ‘Redevelopment of Quays in the Port of Gdynia – Stage IV, Task 2-3’ project plans to modernise the Czeskie, Rumuńskie and Stanów Zjednoczonych Quays and the ro-ro ramps, together with the landing of part of Basin V.

The reconstruction of the line of the Czeskie Quay located in the eastern part of the Port of Gdynia in the Basin V area will enable larger ro-ro vessels of approximately 240m in length to be accommodated and new storage areas to be gained in the landed area. The proposed redevelopment will involve moving the existing quay lines: Remontowe, Czołowe and Zachodnie by up to 180m into the basin and the creation of a new single quay line enclosing part of the basin. The resulting additional area will be approximately 30,000 m². This area will be partly developed for non-intrusive port activities or “clean” production and partly will constitute a land reserve for the expansion of the communication node for the development of the Port of Gdynia.

Ro-ro connections are one of the main segments of the shipping market served by the Port of Gdynia. The increase in cargo handling in the three quarters of 2022 compared to this period of 2021 was 10%, the number of calls increased by 42%. The investments in Basin V serve to ensure that such vessels can enter and be regularly served in Port Gdynia in the future. The redevelopment of this area of the Port of Gdynia will contribute to an increase in ro-ro cargo handling and strengthen the attractiveness of the port.