Baleària has ordered two gas-powered ferries

Madrid - The Spanish shipping company Baleària and the La Naval shipyards signed a letter of intent, which will become definitive in two months, for the construction of two new natural-gas-powered ferries, which will require an investment of €350 million. These new ships, besides being the first liquefied natural gas powered passenger ferries in Spain, “will have the highest capacity in Europe and will be the largest ever built in a Spanish shipyard, at 225m in length and 30.4m in width,” as reported by the shipping company.

In particular, Baleària commissioned two new units with double engines, which can be used with natural gas or fuel oil, therefore allowing the company to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by over 30%. The first ship, which will be built over the course of 2016, will be operational by the first quarter of 2018. The president of Baleària, Aldolfo Utor, emphasised that “investments in the construction of new ships are a way to grow and be more competitive.” Furthermore, Utor observed that the ships will be technologically advanced and innovative, not only in terms of propulsion, but also in terms of the systems that make them more energy efficient.”