China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Weihai) has begun working on the second in a series of two of what will become Finnlines' flagship ferries once delivered in 2023.

Finnsirius was launched on 30 August 2022, followed by the laying of Finncanopus' keel on 1 September 2022.

The sister ships' delivery is planned for Q3 and Q4 2023. They will serve Finnlines' Kapellskär-Långnäs-Naantali service in the Baltic Sea.

According to the shipping line, the new Superstar-class vessels will offer 20% more cargo capacity than the current 'Stars.'

Each GT 64.6k, 235 m long, 1A Super ice-class newbuild will have 5,100 lane metres for wheeled and other freight, plus room for about 1,100 passengers across 323 cabins.

Finnsirius and Finncanopus will be equipped with scrubbers, battery packs, onshore power supply connectors, waste heat recovery, air lubrication, and will take advantage of auto-mooring.

"We are proud to introduce the next generation of ro-pax vessels, which will enter service in 2023. With the latest technologies and sustainable innovations, these large vessels will not only bring economies of scale to our customers, but also a lower environmental footprint. Our drive to continuously improve both operational and financial efficiency ensures that we can continue to invest in our fleet and grow with our customers," Tom Pippingsköld, Finnlines' President and CEO, underlined.

Photo: Finnlines