Finnish-Chinese Collab Unleashes Next-Gen Eco-Friendly RoPax Ships

Baltic Giants With a Green Twist

Deltamarin, the Finnish naval architecture firm, just inked a deal with China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Weihai) to design three massive Hansa Superclass RoPax vessels for Finnlines. These floating behemoths—each stretching 240 meters—will dominate the Finland-Germany Baltic Sea route, packing 5,100 lane meters for freight, room for 90 cars, and space to accommodate 1,100 passengers. But their real superpower? A 50% slash in CO2 emissions per cargo unit compared to older models.

“This isn’t just about moving cargo and people—it’s about rewriting the rules of sustainable shipping,” says a Deltamarin insider.

The $1.3 Billion Fleet Revolution

The trio is part of Finnlines’ nine-ship, $1.3 billion order placed in April. While six vessels will cruise the Mediterranean, the Baltic-bound units stand out with multifuel engines (methanol-ready), hydrodynamically optimized hulls, shore power compatibility, and energy-efficient systems. Deltamarin’s fingerprints are all over this: They’ve designed 22 RoPax ships for Weihai in the last decade, including Stena Line’s methanol-capable E-Flexer class (ordered July 2024) and Finnlines’ own Superstar series (2020).

Timelines are tight. Most design work wraps by early 2025, with the Hansa Superclass fleet hitting the waves between 2028 and 2029. The urgency aligns with Finnlines’ Green Line service—launched in May 2025—which already runs hybrid RoPax ships (Finnsirius and Finncanopus) on biofuel-electric combos between Naantali and Kapellskär. The message? The Baltic’s future is low-emission, high-efficiency, and Finnish-engineered.

“Every lane meter and passenger seat is a calculated step toward decarbonization,” notes a Finnlines strategist.

From blueprints to Baltic waves, these ships aren’t just transport—they’re climate action with propellers.