Finnish shipping company Viking Lines has shared the first official information about the Helios, which will be the world’s largest electric ship. The giant ship, which is still in the development phase, will operate with a fully electric power system. The company has announced basic technical details such as the dimensions, battery capacity and carrying capacity of the Helios to the public.
The world’s largest electric ship will be here
The length of the Helios is stated to be approximately 195 meters and its width is 30 meters. It was reported that the ship will reach a speed of 23 knots, or approximately 42.5 kilometers/hour, with its fully electric power transmission system. This system will operate with giant batteries with capacities ranging from 85 to 100 megawatt hours (MWh). A 30-megawatt charging system is planned to be installed in the port to charge the batteries.
Helios will operate regularly between the Port of Helsinki in Finland and the city of Tallinn in Estonia. The distance between these two points is 43 nautical miles, or approximately 80 kilometers. The ship can carry 2,000 passengers and 650 vehicles at the same time.
Viking Line is implementing the project together with Rauma shipyard in Finland and various partners. Once completed, the ship will become an example that redefines the technical and environmental boundaries of electric shipping, not only for the Baltic Sea region but also worldwide. The project is scheduled for completion in early 2030.
As electric ships become more widespread worldwide, alternative energy sources for longer-distance shipping, such as ammonia and hydrogen, are also being evaluated as fuel types. However, Helios will directly address the scale problem in this area as the largest ship with a purely electric system.
