The technology group Wärtsilä and Wasaline, the Finnish–Swedish ferry operator, have signed a ten-year Optimised Maintenance agreement covering the company’s new ferry, the ‘Aurora Botnia’. The agreement was signed in June 2021, but became effective in September. Built at the RMC shipyard in Finland, the Aurora Botnia is the most environmentally-friendly RoPax ferry in the world. The ship’s propulsion is based on a hybrid solution featuring the highly efficient Wärtsilä 31DF dual-fuel engine and batteries. The Wärtsilä 31DF will operate primarily on LNG fuel but will also be able to use BioLNG, a totally renewable fuel that can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 90 percent compared to conventional marine fuels. It emits no particulate matter (PM), and close to zero levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur oxides (SOx).