The joint initiative of the Ports of Stockholm, the Port of Turku, the Port of Mariehamn, and Viking Line will receive up to EUR 12.7 mln from the Connecting Europe Facility.

The NextGen Link is a project aimed at upgrading the existing ferry service between the involved seaports through the deployment of a brand-new LNG-run ro-pax, as well as thanks to infrastructure developments.

The latter will include new truck parking arrangements, a truck measurement system, and automated mooring in Turku; setting up a new logistics area and installing an Intelligent Transport System in Stockholm; while Mariehamn will also receive an automated mooring system, as well as see its freight and passenger handling operations adopted to the new ferry.

Viking Line's brand-new GT 63,000 LNG-driven ro-pax for the Turku-Mariehamn-Stockholm route, part of the Scandinavian-Mediterranean TEN-T Core Corridor, will be 218 m long, offering space for 2,800 passengers, as well as 1,500 lane metres for cargo. The ship, which will also have auxiliary wind propulsion and a ballast water management system, is to be ready in 2020.

The project will last till June 30^th, 2020.

Photo: Google Maps