VESSEL REVIEW | The Baltic Whale – Scandlines' new ferry to serve Denmark-Germany routes on Baltic Sea

Danish transport company Scandlines has taken delivery of a new double-ended Ro-Pax ferry built to a design by Norwegian naval architecture firm LMG Marin.

The Baltic Whale (formerly Futura) will be operated between the Danish town of Rodby and the village of Puttgarden on Ferhmarn Island in the German portion of the Baltic Sea. The vessel was developed with an investment amount of €80 million (US$88 million).

Significant transport capacities in a double-ended design

The ferry has a steel hull, an LOA of 147.4 metres (483.6 feet), a beam of 25.4 metres (83.3 feet), a design draught of 5.3 metres (17 feet), a moulded depth of 8.4 metres (28 feet), a deadweight of 2,380, and capacity for 140 passengers and up to 1,200 lane metres (3,900 linear feet) of freight – the equivalent of 66 cars – across two vehicle decks.

Lorries can be transported on both main and upper vehicle decks, and this necessitated reconstruction of the berths at the vessel’s two destination ports.

Hybrid propulsion for greater operational flexibility

A hybrid electric propulsion arrangement that includes three MTU 12V4000M35F 1,500kW generators, two Kongsberg Maritime azimuthing thrusters, and a Leclanche 10MWh, water-cooled battery pack can deliver an operational speed of 16 knots, allowing the ferry to sail one-way between Rodby and Puttgarden in as little as 45 minutes.

When operating in full electric mode, the vessel can achieve 10 knots and complete the same crossing in one hour, all while generating significantly reduced noise and vibration.

The batteries will be charged with the aid of towers fitted on the jetties at Puttgarden and Rodby by NES. The ferry's large battery system can be charged to full capacity in under 12 minutes at either port.

The propulsion can be modified in the future to accommodate other low-emission alternative fuels such as methanol.

The hull bottom and the thrusters are coated with silicone paint so that the ship can glide through the water with less resistance.

Development of The Baltic Whale was undertaken in compliance with Lloyd’s Register and Danish Maritime Authority requirements including those covering safe return to port.