Alternative Fuels

Tallink Grupp’s new LNG-fuelled ferry “MyStar” to be delivered on 7 December

Start of operations of MyStar, the newest and most technologically advanced vessel on the Baltic Sea, will take place on 13 December at 13.30 from Tallinn to Helsinki.

Published

2 years ago

December 6, 2022

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Tallink Grupp’s new ferry MyStar will be delivered to the company by Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) on 7 December 2022 at Rauma shipyard in Finland, according to Tallink Grupp on Monday (5 December).

The announcement came following a delay in the vessel’s start of operation, which initially was scheduled to be on 1 December.

The long-awaited start of operations of MyStar, the newest and most technologically advanced vessel on the Baltic Sea, will take place on Tuesday, 13 December at 13.30 from Tallinn to Helsinki.

CEO of Tallink Grupp, Paavo Nõgene, said: “We are very pleased that the time has now come this week for us to welcome and receive the newest member of our fleet, the brightest star on the Baltic Sea, MyStar into our fleet. Her much-awaited arrival marks the beginning of yet another new era for the Tallinn-Helsinki route, with customer service standards now even higher, passenger comfort even greater and sustainability even more at the heart of our operations.”

“The world has changed greatly since we started building our newest fleet member in spring 2020 with more hurdles along the way than we have ever experienced, but we have met all the challenges head on and are happy that our beautiful MyStar has now been completed and will welcome everyone on board from 13 December onwards. I want to thank the whole Tallink MyStar project team, Rauma Shipyard and all our partners who have contributed to making our dream of the brightest new star on the Baltic Sea a reality.”

Mika Heiskanen, CEO, RMC, said: “I want to thank Tallink for their excellent cooperation which has allowed us to bring the project to completion together despite challenging circumstances. I would also like to thank the partners and the classification society. MyStar represents Finland’s strong expertise in shipbuilding. It has been an honour for us to design and build such a technologically advanced vessel that upholds sustainable values. We wish MyStar the best of luck with the sailings.”

MyStar is expected to depart from Rauma shipyard on Friday, 9 December and to arrive at the Old City Harbour of the Port of Tallinn at 10am on Saturday, 10 December.

The first commercial voyage of MyStar will take place on 13 December 2022, departing from Tallinn to Helsinki at 13.30 local time, replacing Megastar in the current Shuttle service timetable. MyStar’s crew of 208 is headed by three captains in total – masters Vahur Ausmees, Aivar Moorus and Ain Aksalu.

The construction of the vessel cost EUR 247 million (USD 259 million) and is financed with a loan of EUR 196,3 million from KfW IPEX-Bank GmbH.

The construction of MyStar started in April 2020.

The most technologically advanced and energy efficient vessel in Tallink’s fleet, MyStar is 212.4 metres long and has capacity to carry 2800 passengers. The ship’s five 8-cylinder dual-fuel main engines are capable of running on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and marine diesel fuel. The ship is using diesel-electric propulsion combined with fixed pitch propellers giving the best efficiency.

The ship comes equipped with shore-to-ship power solution and smart car deck solution. The vessel has design speed of up to 27 knots and will join company’s vessels Megastar and Star on the company’s Tallinn-Helsinki shuttle service route.

MyStar Fact Box:

Passengers: 2800
Passenger cabins: 46
Decks: 12
Length: 212.4 m
Width: 30.6 m
Speed: 27 knots
Lane meters: 3,190 m
Ice class: 1A
Main engine output: 42,000 kW
Gross Tonnage: 50,629
Fuel: dual fuel – LNG and/or diesel
Interior design by dSign Vertti Kivi & Co
Reference vessel is Tallink’s shuttle vessel Megastar

Photo credit: Tallink Grupp
Published: 6 December, 2022

Biofuel

NYK to launch Japan’s first antioxidant for biodiesel bunker fuel in August

When added to biofuel, BioxiGuard slows progression of oxidative degradation and helps deter issues such as metal corrosion, strainer blockage, and cleaning-system fouling often triggered by oxidised fuel.

Published

17 hours ago

May 22, 2025

Admin

Japan’s first antioxidant by NYK for biodiesel bunker fuel set to release in August

Nippon Yuka Kogyo (Nippon Yuka), an NYK Group company specialising in chemical R&D as well as the manufacture and sale of chemical products, on Wednesday (21 May) announced the upcoming release of BioxiGuard, the Japan’s first antioxidant specially developed for marine biodiesel, from 10 August.

NYK said compared with conventional petroleum-based fuels, biofuel contains a higher proportion of unsaturated fatty acids, making it more susceptible to oxidative degradation. Once oxidised, the biofuel can produce acidic substances and sludge, adversely affecting vessel fuel efficiency by reducing the fuel’s calorific value.

Developed by Nippon Yuka based on property analyses of the biofuel used in NYK-operated vessels, BioxiGuard is specifically formulated to enhance the oxidation stability of biodiesel. When added to biofuel, BioxiGuard slows the progression of oxidative degradation and helps deter issues such as metal corrosion, strainer blockage, and cleaning-system fouling often triggered by oxidised fuel.

According to laboratory tests conducted by Nippon Yuka researchers, the addition of BioxiGuard at a concentration of 1 part per 500 resulted in an approximate 50% reduction in the rate of biofuel degradation compared to untreated biofuel.

This significant improvement underscores the potential for vessel operators to not only extend the useful life of biofuel on board but also maintain more stable and cost-effective vessel operations.

Photo credit: NYK
Published: 22 May, 2025

Newbuilding

Höegh Autoliners latest LNG dual-fuel PCTC en route to Shanghai for bunkering

The 9,100 CEU “Höegh Sunrise”, currently sailing the seas, is on its way to Shanghai for bunkering before sailing to Japan and then towards Europe.

Published

18 hours ago

May 22, 2025

Admin

Höegh Autoliners latest LNG dual-fuel PCTC en route to Shanghai for bunkering

Höegh Autoliners on Tuesday (20 May) said its latest liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel pure car and truck carrier has departed China Merchants Heavy Industry’s yard, ready to commence its commercial operations.

The 9,100 CEU Höegh Sunrise, currently sailing the seas, is on its way to Shanghai for bunkering before sailing to Japan and then towards Europe.

The PCTC is the fifth in a series of 12 Aurora Class vessels built by the shipyard in China. The first eight Auroras are or will be equipped with engines primed to run on LNG and low-sulphur oil.

These vessels can be converted to run on ammonia later. By 2027, Höegh Autoliners said the four last vessels of the series will be able to run net zero on ammonia directly from the yard when delivered.

Manifold Times previously reported the naming ceremony of Höegh Autoliner’s fourth Aurora Class newbuild, Höegh Sunlight, at Taicang Haitong Auto Terminal.

Photo credit: Höegh Autoliners
Published: 22 May, 2025

Alternative Fuels

UECC: Liquefied biomethane bunker fuel to enable compliance surplus under FuelEU

Company says bunkering liquefied biomethane will give it a significant compliance surplus under FuelEU that can be monetised through the regulation’s pooling mechanism.

Published

18 hours ago

May 22, 2025

Admin

UECC: Liquefied biomethane bunker fuel to enable compliance surplus under FuelEU

United European Car Carriers (UECC) on Monday (19 May) said bunkering liquefied biomethane (LBM), also known as bio-LNG, will give it a significant compliance surplus under FuelEU that can be monetised through the regulation’s pooling mechanism.

UECC’s Senior Manager of Business Planning & Sustainability, Masanori Nagashima, said bio-LNG is now seen by the company as the key fuel to achieve its target of a 45% reduction in carbon intensity by 2030 versus a 2014 baseline and net zero by 2040 – ahead of the 2050 deadline set by both the IMO and EU.

The marine fuel is being bunkered on UECC’s dual and multi-fuel LNG PCTCs – three of which have battery hybrid capability – under Sail for Change that was launched by UECC last year and currently has participation by automotive giants including Toyota, Ford and JLR.

The company also has on order two multi-fuel LNG battery hybrid newbuild PCTCs due for delivery in 2028 that could be enlisted into the programme.

The overall carbon intensity of the UECC fleet, using the same gCO2e/MJ (grams of CO2 equivalent per megajoule) metric as FuelEU, is calculated at 68 gCO2e/MJ to achieve an interim target of a 25% carbon intensity reduction in 2025, though the company is expected to achieve 57 gCO2e/MJ this year based on its supply plan, according to Nagashima.

This is significantly below the current FuelEU threshold of 89.3 gCO2e/MJ – a 2% reduction from the baseline of 91.16 gCO2e/MJ – and still lower than the threshold of 77.9 gCO2e/MJ from 2035 that is a 14.5% reduction versus the baseline figure.

“The low carbon intensity of our fleet means all of our vessels are expected to gain a C rating or above with the IMO’s Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII)” Nagashima explained.

“It also gives us a significant compliance surplus under FuelEU that can be monetised through the regulation’s pooling mechanism, allowing a great commercial opportunity to offset regulatory costs for customers and eliminate FuelEU surcharges.”

“UECC will continue to accelerate its progress in improving decarbonisation of its fleet by further optimising our fuel mix strategy going forward to incorporate more high-impact fuels as these become viable.”

Photo credit: Titan Clean Fuels
Published: 22 May, 2025