Baleària commissions a second improved unit of the ‘Eleanor Roosevelt’

Astilleros Armón has started the construction of the innovative second fast passenger and cargo ferry of Baleria. Named after the pioneering biochemist Margarita Salas, it is expected to start operating in 2024.

The president of Baleria, Adolfo Utor, explained that the ship will combine the most competitive features of the Eleanor Roosevelt with a series of novelties in its design and engineering to enhance the customer experience. Likewise, he has indicated that the construction of this second unit responds to some exceptional results of the Eleanor Roosevelt and the commitment to this innovative and eco-efficient prototype.

Like its sister ship, Eleanor Roosevelt, the ship is 123 meters long, 28 meters wide and has the capacity to transport 1,200 passengers and 400 vehicles. As a distinctive novelty, the Margarita Salas will have a second deck with a lounge in the bow and double the surface of the aft terrace with a bar service outside.

On a technical level, the shipping company will increase the power of this new fast ferry by 10% compared to its counterpart ship, with the installation of four Wrtsil 9,600 kW dual natural gas engines, which will allow it to reach a service speed of 35 knots. Likewise, it will have a propulsion system made up of four waterjets and have two bow azimuth propellers to improve maneuverability when berthing in port.

This ship will be Baleria’s tenth with dual natural gas engines, a technology that can also consume 100% biomethane, as well as green hydrogen mixes of up to 25%, renewable gases neutral in CO emissions._two considered the energies of the future.

For a year Baleria has reduced the use of this fuel due to the skyrocketing growth of its price, although it considers it as a transition energy, since it is the cleanest and most mature that currently exists with the decarbonization horizon for 2050.

In response to the technological improvements introduced on the ship, the Margarita Salas will have various new features, including passenger access to their accommodations through a QR code, Internet service and free use of WhatsApp during the voyage, a platform digital entertainment on demand, or a video surveillance system for pets through webcams.

As for the interior design, the shipping company is committed to prioritizing the spaciousness of the spaces and the separation between seats, even more than those offered by the Eleanor Roosevelt lounges. The stabilization system will also be maintained, which will considerably reduce movement and allow greater comfort on board. Vibrations and noise will be minimized thanks to an elastic floating superstructure and the installation of high-tech insulation. Finally, the ship will have escalators and an elevator to the upper deck.

In order to monitor actual fuel consumption or calculate engine efficiency, among other functions, Baleria will install measuring equipment. The installation of sensors will also provide information in real time to be able to navigate efficiently, as well as adjust speed and course to increase comfort according to the state of the sea.

This is the eighth ship of the shipping company that has this monitoring system, and that is part of the Baleria Control Tower project, which uses big data to make quick and efficient decisions in terms of safety, preventive maintenance, efficiency commercial and emissions control.

The maritime company has opted to name the new fast ferry after Margarita Salas, in homage and memory of one of the most relevant scientists of the 20th century, and one of the most notable female references.

Margarita Salas became a pioneering woman in the field of biochemistry thanks to her drive to develop molecular biology in Spain. Salas dedicated his entire life to research, he worked for three years with the Nobel Prize winner in biochemistry Severo Ochoa at the University of New York and on his return to Spain he founded the first research group in molecular genetics in the country at the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones. Scientists (CSIC) in Madrid.