During the planned docking of the vessel both technical works as well as interior upgrades will be carried out.

On the technical side, in addition to the usual hull cleaning and maintenance works, the vessel’s propellers will be re-bladed to enhance the speed of the vessel and to make the vessel more energy efficient. The expected fuel-saving as a result of the re-blading is between 10-13%. Another innovative upgrade is the graphite paint that will be piloted on BALTIC QUEEN for hull painting, which is also claimed to reduce the water resistance of the ship’s hull significantly, thus making vessels that use it far more efficient. Should the pilot prove successful, the company will roll it out to other company vessels too as part of its greater energy efficiency drive.

The interior and passenger area modernisation will see renovation of passenger cabin bathrooms, new flooring in some public areas and, most significantly, the complete overhaul of the Grill House restaurant with new interior design, furniture and furnishings.

Commenting on the planned works, Tallink Grupp’s Head of Ship Management and Chief Captain Tarvi-Carlos Tuulik, said:

“The main aim of the docking in early September is the renewal of BALTIC QUEEN’s required class society paperwork for the period 2024-2029. Our vessels go through the regular dockings twice in a five-year period to ensure they meet all the requirements to continue operations.

“With tightening environmental requirements, we need to focus more than ever on increasing the energy efficiencies of our vessels and we are always on the look-out for new solutions and technologies that enable us to achieve this. A significant proportion of the works now carried out during the regular dockings, in addition to the standard and required maintenance, relates to energy efficiency improvement and fuel-saving technologies. Customer areas, naturally, also receive upgrades, so, as a result of the planned maintenance, the whole experience on the vessels becomes both more comfortable, enjoyable, but also environmentally friendly.”

Tallink Grupp joined the Energy Efficiency Movement, initiated by global technology firm ABB, in spring this year. The movement brings together all stakeholders to innovate and act for a more energy efficient, regenerative, adaptive world.  It is a simple and impactful solution to mitigate climate change. As part of the movement, Tallink Grupp has pledged to reduce its CO2 emissions annually by at least 2% and increase its energy efficiencies also by at least 2% per annum.