Estonia's First Biomethane-Powered Work Vessel Has Been Laid Down

by Kristal Kas (Riigilaevastik (Google Translation)) The State Fleet's new biomethane and electric multi-purpose workboat was laid down at a festive ceremony on December 18. The vessel is being designed and built by the Estonian company Baltic Workboats and is scheduled for completion in 2026.

During the ceremony, a traditional coin bringing good luck to the ship was installed on the keel and engraved plaques were presented to the ship and the ship's builders. The ship's classification society certificate was also presented. "The laying of the keel is considered the birth of the ship, and with this, the first keel block, weighing more than three tons, is now in place. In terms of context, this is only one and a half percent of the entire ship's weight," said Sander Sääsk, Director of the State Fleet Development Service.

The first part of the ship's bottom is now complete. Work will continue on the hull structure, and in January Baltic Workboats will begin construction work on the superstructure. The ship's hull will be completed at the Polish shipyard, Damen Shipyards Gdansk. At the beginning of the summer, the workboat will be brought to Estonia, where most of the work will be done and the ship will be assembled.

Margus Vanaselja, chairman of the board of Baltic Workboats, confirms that the vessel will be exactly what is needed for year-round work in Estonian waters. “This is Estonia's first work vessel powered entirely by alternative fuels. There are still very few gas vessels powered by biomethane in the world, but the future is certainly promising and Estonia can be a trendsetter in the future,” said Vanaselja.

In addition to the main fuel, biomethane, the ship under construction is equipped with a battery bank, which allows it to also run on electricity. The ship can travel at least a thousand nautical miles on biomethane and can run on battery power for up to two hours at a speed of five knots. It is also possible to stay at anchor on battery power for up to ten hours, which makes using the ship much greener than previous options.

According to the State Fleet, the new multi-purpose work vessel will provide greater capacity for regular buoy work, maintenance of shipping lanes, modern scientific research, organization of pollution control and rescue operations. “The new vessel is essentially a multi-platform – all the equipment required for various tasks does not need to be kept on board at all times, but the capacity to install and use them is always guaranteed,” added Sander Sääsk.

The ship is approximately 38 meters long, approximately 10 meters wide and has a maximum speed of up to 12 knots. The working vessel's estimated lifespan is 30 years, but the Director of the State Fleet Development Service believes that the new ship will serve Estonia for much longer if operated with care.

The ship, which will enter service in the spring of 2026, will replace the temporary chartered pontoon ship Sektori from Finland.

The cost of the design and construction contract for the multipurpose vessel is 22 million euros, and the State Fleet will be the operator and main user of the vessel.