The keel of Tallink Grupp’s new shuttle ferry was laid at Rauma shipyard
The construction of the new fast shuttle ferry for Tallink Grupp is progressing at the Rauma shipyard. The keel of Rauma Marine Constructions’ newbuilding NB6003, a shuttle vessel named MyStar, was laid today, 18 September 2020. MyStar is set to be delivered to the owner at the beginning of 2022. The ferry will operate between Helsinki, Finland, and Tallinn, Estonia. The shipbuilding project will provide over 1,500 person-years of employment for the shipyard.
The first keel-block of the new vessel was laid into the shipyard’s dry dock today. The block weighs approximately 270 tonnes. Laying down the keel is an important milestone in shipbuilding, and it’s often considered as the birth of the ship. Traditionally, lucky coins are placed under the keel. This time, the lucky coins were Estonian and Finnish euro coins.
“We are pleased to say that despite the global economic situation and the global coronavirus pandemic, production has continued at the Rauma shipyard. Although the final impact of the pandemic on the shipyard remains to be seen, we are confident that operations will continue to run on track due to the HSES measures we have taken,” said Jyrki Heinimaa, President and CEO of Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC).
The delivery of the main equipment is progressing according to schedule. The vessel’s main engines were tested during the summer, and the testing of the generators was completed in August.
“It is extremely important to keep our sights both on the near as well as the more distant future right now and continue with key projects that will ensure shipping is greener, more efficient and increasingly sustainable in the future,” said Paavo Nõgene, CEO of Tallink Grupp.
“With the MyStar project, we are proud and happy to be able to help sustain the rich tradition of Finnish shipbuilding. Now more than ever, it matters to us that we can build our ship close to home in Finland, and this way, help preserve jobs in Finland and Estonia, to keep the historic shipbuilding industry in Finland going and support and contribute to the economies of our Baltic Sea region as a whole,” Nõgene continues.
The construction of MyStar started in April 2020. After the keel laying, the next milestone will be the float-out of the vessel in summer 2021. The delivery of MyStar is scheduled to take place at the beginning of 2022. In total, the shipbuilding project is worth around EUR 250 million.
The keel laying ceremony is available for viewing here.
