Spanish ferry operator Baleària last week launched its first out of two liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered ferries being built at the Italian shipbuilder Cantiere Navale Visentini.

First Balearia LNG ferry Hypatia de Alejandría launched in Italy

Baleària ordered the two sister vessels powered by dual-fueled engines back in January 2017 with a price tag of 200 million euros ($246.6).

The first ferry named Hypatia de Alejandría was launched on March 30, Baleària said in a statement, adding that the vessel would begin serving the Balearic Islands early 2019.

Baleària says that these two ships will be the first LNG-powered ferries to operate in the Mediterranean.

Both of the ships will be 186.5 meters long with a maximum speed of 24 knots and the capacity for 810 people, 2,100 linear meters of cargo and 150 vehicles.

Source: LNGWorldNews