Stx Turku News

The ferry business, unlike more industrial parts of the shipping business, touches wide swaths of the world’s population across continents. The membership of Interferry, the leading trade group for the industry, with non-Governmental organization (NGO) status at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) includes 200+ members from all parts of the ferry spectrum. These include passenger ferries (including fast ferries), Ro/Pax and cruise ferries operating globally. In selecting “the best” we looked beyond the league tables of “the most” (passengers) and “the biggest” (fleet size).

The float-out of Mein Schiff 3, an environmentally friendly cruise ship being built for TUI Cruises, was performed at STX Turku Shipyard on Friday, November 8, 2013. At the press conference held at STX Finland Oy’s Turku Shipyard earlier the same day, Richard J. Vogel, CEO of TUI Cruises and Jari Anttila, Deputy CEO of STX Finland Oy were pleased to speak about the important milestone Mein Schiff 3 project reached on that particular day. One year ago, the start of production of newbuilding 1383 was celebrated at Turku Shipyard. Mein Schiff 3 is scheduled for delivery in spring 2014.

The STX Turku Shipyard in Finland recently lost the order for a third Oasis class cruise ship and an option for a fourth to ”sister” shipyard STX France, when neither the owner, the financially troubled STX Group, nor the Finnish government wanted to inject a missing $64.3m to the capital of the shipyard. The yard is currently building two 97,000gt cruise ships for TUI Cruises. In January the shipyard delivered the world’s first LNG-fuelled big size passenger-car ferry, the Viking Grace for Baltic ferry operator Viking Line.

On Thursday 10 January 2013, STX Finland Oy’s Turku shipyard delivered a next-generation cruise ferry to Viking Line ABP. Building of the environmentally friendly M/S Viking Grace started at the STX Turku shipyard in September 2011 and the ship was floated out in August 2012. The ship provided some 2,600 man-years of labour to the shipyard. M/S Viking Grace will enter traffic on the Turku (Finland) – Åland Islands – Stockholm (Sweden) route on 15 January 2013. M/S Viking Grace is the most environmentally friendly large cruise vessel ever built, using Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as fuel. The ship’s emissions into the sea have been eliminated, and emissions into the air are remarkably lower than those of any other large passenger ships.

Godmother of the vessel, Minister of Transport Merja Kyllönen, gave the ship the name “Meri”. The festive event held on the outfitting dock of the shipyard was witnessed by representatives of the client Gaiamare Ltd, the classification society Bureau Veritas and  STX Finland, as well as numerous other guests. The multipurpose vessel MS Meri, scheduled for delivery to the client in summer 2012, is 105.4 metres long and approximately 18.8 metres wide. This modern and environmentally friendly deck cargo vessel, designed for global operation, can be utilised for a wide variety of tasks. When delivered, she will be able to operate as a transport vessel for demanding project cargo such as offshore wind farm structures and for energy wood transport in the Baltic Sea area.

STX Turku Shipyard launches multipurpose deck cargo vessel     STX Finland Oy Turku shipyard has launched a multipurpose deck cargo vessel built for Gaiamare Ltd. due delivery later in the year. With a LOA of 105.4 m and a breadth of 18.8 m the yet un-named vessel is described as being designed for multi-purpose uses, including wind-farm structures, as well as having the capability to act as an oil-spill response vessel. Strengthened to Ice Class 1A for Baltic Sea operation, the vessel will be capable of running on bio-fuels.

On March 1, 2012, STX Finland Oy Turku shipyard carried out the launch of the multipurpose deck cargo vessel built for Gaiamare Ltd. The vessel will be approximately 105.4 meters long and approx. 18.8 meters wide. The vessel is scheduled to be delivered in late spring 2012. The launching was carried out near the shipyard’s construction basin following traditions of the yard with representatives from Gaiamare Ltd, the classification society Bureau Veritas and STX Finland; invited guests and press also participated. The multipurpose deck cargo vessel is designed to operate globally and can be utilized for various tasks, including transport of demanding project cargo, such as offshore wind farm structure and for energy wood transport in the Baltic Sea area.

ABB won an order to provide an energy management system for one a new Viking Line cruise ferry, being built at STX Turku in Finland and due for delivery in 2013. The new ship measures 214m long and has a top speed of 22 knots, able to carry 2,800 passengers o the route connecting Turku, Finland and Stockholm, Sweden. The ship will use liquefied natural gas (LNG) as its fuel, which will be a first for a passenger vessel of this size. Through efficient use of this fuel, the ship will have extremely low emissions and virtually zero marine emissions. Viking Line chose ABB’s energy management system for marine applications software - EMMA…

The keel-laying of the multipurpose deck cargo vessel, built for Oy Gaiamare Ab, was held at STX Turku Shipyard on Wednesday January 4, 2012. The NB 1379 is 105.4m long and 18.8m wide, and is scheduled to be delivered in spring 2012. Representatives of the customer Oy Gaiamare Ab, classification society Bureau Veritas, and STX Finland were present witnessing the keel-laying event. The versatile vessel is designed for transportation of demanding and heavy project cargo, such as offshore wind farm structures. The ship is also very suitable for transporting energy wood in the Baltic Sea region, and she is also designed to operate as a flexible oil spill response vessel.

This morning, STX Finland’s Turku Shipyard began production of the multipurpose deck cargo vessel ordered by Oy Gaiamare Ab. NB 1379 is an environmentally-friendly specialized ship that will be delivered during spring 2012. The vessel has a length of approximately 105 meters and a width of approximately 19 meters, and it will provide work for about 300 persons during different stages of production. The production start-up at STX Turku Shipyard took place in a traditional manner. The event was attended by representatives of Oy Gaiamare Ab, STX Finland Oy and classification society Bureau Veritas, as well as by members of the press. The vessel is designed for transportation of demanding and heavy project cargo, such as offshore wind farm structures.

The acting President and Chairman of STX Finland, Mr Su-Jou Kim, has decided to reorganize STX Finland´s management group to improve the efficiency, synergies and competitiveness of STX Finland. Mr Jyrki Heinimaa has been appointed Executive Vice President and CFO (Chief Financal Officer) of STX Finland Oy. He will be responsible for the following functions: accounting & finance, communication, synergies and strategy. In addition Mr Heinimaa is responsible for the new business areas such as wind power. Mr Heinimaa has been with STX Finland in various management positions for 15 years. Mr Timo Suistio has been appointed Executive Vice President and COO (Chief Operating Officer) of STX Finland Oy and also shipyard director of the STX Rauma Shipyard.

On 20 April 2011, STX Finland Oy and Saipem S.p.A signed a contract on major overhaul and maintenance of the semisubmersible pipelay vessel Castoro Sei. The work on the ship, providing employment for as many as about 1,000 people, will be completed by STX's Turku shipyard. The Castoro Sei is a 152 metres long and 70.5 metres wide semisubmersible pipelay vessel, owned by Italian offshore company Saipem S.p.A. She is currently deployed in laying the pipeline for the Nord Stream project on the Baltic Sea.

On 22 March 2011, STX Finland Oy and Gaiamare Ltd signed a contract for the construction of an innovative and versatile multipurpose deck cargo vessel. The ship will be delivered during spring 2012 and has a length of 105 metres a width of 19 metres. The environmentally friendly ship will provide work for about 300 persons. The concept development for the vessel has been done in close cooperation between STX Finland and Gaiamare. The vessel will have numerous innovations and very high specifications, including the ability to operate efficiently in demanding ice conditions.

Wärtsilä was awarded a contract by shipbuilding company STX Finland Oy to supply additional equipment for the world's biggest LNG fuelled passenger ferry. The ship is to be built for Viking Line, a Finnish owner, and the extension contract covers onboard LNG (liquefied natural gas) storage and supply systems (LNGPac) and an advanced Compact Silencer System (CSS). Earlier in 2011, Wärtsilä had received an order to deliver four gas-fuelled main engines and propulsion machinery for the same vessel, which will sail the Baltic Sea between Turku, Finland, and Stockholm, Sweden.

This extension to the delivery contract awarded to Wärtsilä further contributes to the vessel being the industry’s most environmentally sound and energy efficient large passenger vessel to date. Wärtsilä, the marine industry’s leading solutions provider, has been awarded a contract by shipbuilding company STX Finland Oy to supply additional equipment for the world’s biggest LNG fuelled passenger ferry. The ship is to be built for Viking Line, a Finnish owner, and the extension…

Wärtsilä, the marine industry's leading solutions provider, has been awarded a contract by shipbuilding company STX Finland Oy to supply the propulsion machinery for a new passenger ferry to be built for Viking Line, a Finnish ship owner. The vessel will be the largest passenger ferry to operate on liquefied natural gas (LNG), making it the most environmentally sound and energy efficient large passenger vessel in the industry to date. The ship will be built at the STX Turku shipyard, in Finland, and is scheduled to enter service in 2013.

On October 28, 2010, Turku Shipyard delivered the Allure of the Seas to Royal Caribbean International. The Allure of the Seas and its sistership Oasis of the Seas are the culmination of more than 40 years of product development cooperation between the cruise line, the shipyard and the maritime cluster. The 225,000-ton Oasis class vessels are 361m in length. The Allure of the Seas can accommodate 6,360 passengers at maximum. In comparison, the Song of Norway delivered to the same customer in 1970 was 168m long with a gross tonnage of 18…