Spain’s Balearia has taken delivery of its first LNG-powered fast ferry Eleanor Roosevelt from shipbuilder Armon Gijon.
The vessel left the port of Gijon on Tuesday and it should start serving the Denia-Ibiza-Palma route on May 1, according to the Spanish ferry operator.
To remind Eleanor Roosevelt has completed its first LNG bunkering operation earlier this month after it headed out for gas trials.
The vessel claimed to be the world’s first LNG-powered fast ferry for passengers and cargo features four Wartsila dual-fuel engines of 8,800kW each, allowing it to reach an operating speed of 35 knots.
Equipped with two LNG storage tanks, the twin-hull catamaran will have an autonomy to sail up to 400 nautical miles.
In the case of combined LNG/diesel propulsion, this increases to 1,900 nautical miles, the Spanish shipping firm says.
Furthermore, the Incat-designed ship is 123 meters long with a 28 meters beam. It will have a capacity to welcome 1200 passengers as well as 450 cars.
Balearia previously said it invested about 90 million euros ($108.7 million) in this “pioneering smart” ship. Spain’s CaixaBank provided a loan of 66 million euros to the ferry operator.
Along with four conversions, this is the third LNG-powered newbuild in Balearia’s fleet.
The firm plans to have a fleet of nine LNG-powered vessels by the end of this year with a total investment of 380 million euros.