China Merchants’ Weihai Shipyard – builders of Stena’s E-Flexer Class – is further expanding its orderbook with two Superstar Class ro-pax ferries it will build for Grimaldi Group subsidiary Finnlines. The contract was signed on 16 December and has just been officially announced by the Chinese builders.
More details have yet to emerge, but according to the builders the pair, designed by Knud E. Hansen, will have a capacity of 5,100 lanemetres and 1,212 passengers who can be accommodated in 323 cabins. The 229.5m long and 33.6m beam hybrid newbuilds will be introduced on the Kapellskär-Långnäs-Naantali route, replacing FINNSWAN and FINNFELLOW which currently operate the twice daily service.
Unlike the current mainstays on the route, the newbuilds will have cruise ferry-like facilities and a large duty-free supermarket.
It is understood that the ships will be completed in 2023 and have a price tag of about USD 135 million each.
More details are expected to be announced soon.

Article from © Shippax / Philippe Holthof