Newbuild for Smyril Line suffered major damage during sea trials

Ólavur Í Geil
14 minutes ago
2 min read

Smyril Line is currently building two modern and environmentally friendly cargo vessels.

Both ships were originally scheduled for delivery this year, but things have not gone entirely according to plan.

During a recent sea trial of one of the vessels, a serious incident occurred: the shaft generator broke down.

According to Jens Meinhard Rasmussen, CEO of Smyril Line, it may be necessary to redo a significant portion of the work. As a result, he expects the vessel to be delayed by several months. However, there is still hope that it can be delivered later this year.

The second vessel is scheduled to begin its sea trials later this month. If everything proceeds as planned, it is expected to be delivered the following month.

Rasmussen emphasized that although the delay means the company will not receive the new ships as planned, it will not significantly impact Smyril Line’s operations. The company will continue using its existing vessels for a longer period than originally intended.

Built in China

The ships are being constructed at the CIMC Raffles shipyard in China. They are identical vessels, each measuring 190 meters in length with capacity for 3,300 lane meters of trailers.

The total investment is around one billion Dansih Krone , though the company has not disclosed the exact cost.

Designed for North Atlantic conditions

The vessels are specifically designed for the demanding routes between Europe, the Faroe Islands, and Iceland.

They will be modern and environmentally friendly, fully complying with international emission standards. Compared to the company’s current fleet, emissions per transported ton will be significantly reduced.

Additionally, the ships will be equipped with battery systems and shore power connections, allowing them to operate with zero emissions while docked.

They are also being prepared to run on e-methanol, which Smyril Line considers a key future green energy source.

The company has previously stated that the new vessels will reduce energy consumption by at least 60%.

“This is an important step for us in achieving our goal of net-zero emissions by 2050,” the company said.

(Mynd: Guðjón Eyrfeld Ólafsson)