Finnlines, a subsidiary of the Grimaldi group, has placed an order with clean technology company Silverstream Technologies for the installation of air lubrication technology on board two new green-built Ro-Pax ships.

Construction of the first vessel is expected to begin this summer at the China Merchants Nanjing Jinling shipyard.

When installed, the Silverstream system will minimize fuel consumption and emissions on the two new Superstar ships.

With a capacity of 5,100 meters of track, the ships will be able to accommodate nearly 1,100 passengers.

The 235m Ro-Pax ships, which will operate between Finland and Sweden across the Baltic Sea, are expected to be delivered by 2023.

The Silverstream system uses a series of air release units (ARUs) under the vessel to produce microbubbles that span the entire length of the hull.

Silverstream said it has started production of ARUs for Finnlines ships.

The company will deploy the technology on board ships, in collaboration with the China Merchants Nanjing Jinling shipyard.

Noah Silberschmidt, CEO of Silverstream Technologies, said: “Navigating the complexities of international supply chains, especially as we continue to emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, requires strong partnerships and collaboration. The Silverstream team look forward to working again with our long-standing partners of the Grimaldi Group and China Merchants Group to not only execute a successful project, but also to push the boundaries of efficient ship design.

Finnlines CEO Emanuele Grimaldi said: “We are constantly renewing and expanding our fleet, and the three upcoming hybrid Ro-Ross, as well as two eco-sustainable Superstar Ro-Paxes, are a next step in the evolution of the Finnlines fleet. These new vessels will significantly increase our cargo and passenger capacity and, through our connections, we will be able to better meet the needs of our customers in a sustainable and responsible manner.

Recently, the company completed system testing on another new Ro-Ro vessel from the Grimaldi Group, named Eco Valencia.

During testing, fuel and emissions savings of approximately 5.1% were documented.