The ten-year-old Viking Grace returned to operate between Turku and Stockholm on 12 February as a better and climate-smarter version of itself. During its three-week visit to the dock, new technology to reduce fuel consumption was installed and the interior refurbished. We recycled 5,000 square metres of old carpet and bags and bags of textiles.
Viking Grace has spent the last three weeks at the dry dock in Odense, Denmark, where an extensive refurbishment and maintenance of the ship has been carried out.
“The three-week visit to the dock was a real pampering treatment since the normal biannual maintenance breaks take just two to three days. Now there was time to maintain, revamp and polish the ship inside and out as well as in the engine room. Grace deserved this break, since it has just turned ten and has served as many as ten million customers already,” says Viking Grace’s Intendant Sari Launonen.
The technically most significant reform is the installation of a Elogrids (Elogrid – Increase performance in thruster tunnels and save energy (elomatic.com)) at the entrance of the tunnel thrusters to reduce any additional resistance. The technical solution provided by the Finnish company Elomatic will reduce the ship’s fuel consumption by three percent and carbon emissions by three tonnes per 24 hours. It will also increase travel comfort by reducing vibration on board the ship.
The ship’s propellers, rudder with its gear, propulsion motors and high-voltage equipment were also maintained during its stay at the dock.
“Developing the technology of our ships throughout their lifespan plays a significant role in our aim to reduce our total emissions. Ten years ago, Viking Grace was the world’s climate-smartest vessel, and now it became even smarter thanks to the new solution to reduce resistance. Regular maintenance is also environmental work. For example, a thorough clean of the bottom of the ship has a direct impact on fuel consumption,” says Sustainability Manager Dani Lindberg at Viking Line.
Passengers will notice the results of the visit to the dock as soon as they board Viking Grace: the fresh red paint on its hull and the 5,000-square meters of new carpet. The entire ship has been thoroughly cleaned from top to bottom, and the cabins have new duvets, sheets and pillows. Passengers will also be able to spot refurbishments in the ship’s restaurants, spa and tax-free store which will improve their customer experience. The playrooms have undergone a full remodelling.
All the materials removed from the ship and the maintenance waste were sorted at the dock for reuse. The old carpets travelled from the dock to Holland and to embark on a new life at the carpet supplier Tarkett’s factory, and the cabin textiles and staff uniforms will be turned into recycled fibres at Rester Oy’s textile recycling plant.
“Many of our customers are very environmentally conscious and ask about our activities from members or our crew. We are happy to be able to give concrete examples of how extensively environmental issues are taken into consideration in our operations. And of course, our crew are proud to be inviting guests back to enjoy travelling on board the better than ever Viking Grace,” says Intendant Sari Launonen.
