Smyril Line Takes Delivery of Akranes in China, Second Ro-Ro in the Series

Faroese operator Smyril Line took delivery of the Ro-Ro vessel Akranes on Friday, October 16, from Chinese shipyard CIMC Raffles in Yantai, China. This is the second of two Ro-Ro vessels ordered by the company, following the Skipanes, which was delivered previously.

The Akranes has a cargo capacity of 3,300 lane metres, a length overall of 189.5 metres and a service speed of 18 knots. Baird Maritime further details a gross tonnage of 29,891 tons, while Portal Portuario specifies a moulded beam of 27.2 metres and a propulsion system that includes a controllable-pitch propeller, two bow thrusters and one stern thruster, with capacity for 26 people on board. The basic design was carried out by Knud E. Hansen of Denmark together with Smyril Line, while CIMC Raffles developed the detailed and construction design.

The vessel was built to operate year-round on the route between mainland Europe, the Faroe Islands and Iceland. According to Portal Portuario, the new vessels represent a significant improvement in cargo transport efficiency compared to Smyril Line's current fleet, with an expected reduction of more than 60% in carbon emissions per tonne transported, in line with the company's emissions reduction targets and operating cost control objectives.

According to Baird Maritime, the Akranes is scheduled to depart China the week following its delivery, bound for Europe, on a voyage expected to take approximately six weeks and bring it to Tórshavn, in the Faroe Islands, in early December. The outlet notes that the Akranes was actually the first vessel in the series to be built, but a fault detected in its shaft generator during sea trials led to it swapping places in the shipyard's production schedule with its sister ship, the Skipanes, which Smyril Line accepted on August 25.

The Skipanes suffered an engine room fire on September 2, while approximately 20 nautical miles from Taiwan. No injuries were reported, and the crew managed to extinguish the fire using the vessel's CO₂ suppression system. The ship returned to Xiamen and was later moved to a shipyard in Hong Kong for cleanup and repair of the engine room, where it has remained since September 19. Baird Maritime cites Faroese outlet Kringvarp Føroya, according to which repairs are expected to be completed by late November.