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Visborg: state of the art ferry ro-pax peels course on Gotland
Author:Mariusz Dasiewicz
On December 9, a baptism ceremony of the world's most modern ro-pax-class ferry took place in the port of Guangzhou. M/S Visborg was commissioned by a demanding Swedish shipowner and is one of over twenty units currently built in the People's Republic of China for Europe.
The ship was equipped with a dual-fuel drive (Finnish engines Wärtsilä 50DF) – it can use oil fuel if necessary but will usually use green LNG. However, as the commentators emphasize, it will be the fastest (31 knots) ship in this class, using LNG.
The unit is large, its length up to 200 m, width 25.2 m. The buoyancy of the ship exceeds 30,000 tons. Visborg will carry up to 1730 passengers. Its load line for the carriage of cars and goods measures 1 750 m. The ship was ordered by Sweden's Rederi AB Gotland company, which has already received two large ferries from the Guangzhou Shipyard International Company: Visby and Gotland. Visborg was officially handed over to the Swedes on 12 December and on Sunday, 16 of that month he went to Europe. Regular cruises – on routes between Nynäshamn and Oskarshamn and Visby in Gotland – are expected to start after the last work in Europe in February 2019.
[related1]
European ordering ferryThis car and ro-pax in China is a new trend. So far, the Middle State has given them only three units (including Visborg), but they are under construction... 22 more. One of them is Visborg's sister unit – Thjelvar, who is due to undergo sea trials next February, and the service will perhaps start in spring 2019. This trend, according to commentators, will expand and will soon also go to cruise ships. The question is how the native producers will bear it. At least European manufacturers and suppliers of the most complex on-board equipment (e.g. drive, electronics) and design offices will not be lost. Visborg was designed by Danish companies OSK-ShipTech A/S and OSK-ShipTech – Steen Friis Design.
Signature: ms
