Finnish yard Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) has signed a letter of intent to build an LNG/biogas-powered ro-pax.
Kvarken Link is paying EUR 120m ($138m) for the ship, which will operate between Vaasa in Finland and the Swedish city of Umea.
A final contract is due to be signed early this year. RMC won an international tender for the work.
The design and construction will mainly be carried out before it builds a shuttle ferry for Tallink, which it secured last October.
The ice-class Kvarken ship will carry 800 people, with a freight capacity of 1,500 lane metres.
It will run on LNG and biogas, and use batteries as well.
RMC has been recruiting workers for the new contracts.
Tallink's LNG-fuelled ship is worth EUR 250m ($287m). Delivery will be by the end of 2021.
