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BLRT Grupp keenly participates in projects that contribute to the promotion of green sustainability and sustainable maritime development. Western Baltija Shipbuilding, a shipyard within the Estonian holding, signed a turnkey contract with Torghatten Nord AS, one of the largest maritime transport corporations in Norway, to build an all-electric ferry.
The all-electric, battery-operated ferry will transport passengers, vehicles, and cargo. The 73.3-m long and 14.3-m wide vessel will operate between Norwegian islands. The construction is scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of 2026.
The Norwegian Ship Design Company will collaborate with another company to develop the base design for the ferry. Meanwhile, Western Baltic Engineering, a subsidiary within BLRT Grupp, will prepare complete design documentation.
“The expansion into the electric vessel construction market is a fair opportunity to stay competitive and keep up with the current shipbuilding trends, driven by driven by the need to address climatic changes and meet the requirements imposed by the International Marine Organization, which we do by introducing new shipping technologies and innovative solutions, such as environmentally friendly fuels, digitalization, innovative design, hybrid propulsion units and more,” emphasized Fyodor Berman, Chairman of the BLRT Grupp Management Board. “That said, this turnkey ferry construction project is yet another step towards the implementation of the holding’s shipbuilding strategy.”
The ferry will have the capacity to accommodate 50 vehicles and 199 passengers. It will provide a daily lifeline between the town of Svolvær and the small island of Skrova in Lofoten. During the summer, the ferry will also travel across Vestfjord and to Skutvik on the mainland. Due to the harsh weather conditions north of the Arctic Circle, the ferry will have a fully enclosed car deck. The designers are also implementing special measures to ensure the ship’s improved energy efficiency.
According to the information available to the International Marine Organization, marine vessels are responsible for approximately 2-3% of the global CO2 emissions and 15% of the SOx emissions caused by fossil fuel combustion, significantly contributing to global warming and environmental pollution. Therefore, the exploration of alternative fuels and green technologies and their implementation will stay in the spotlight for ship owners.
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In late February, BLRT Grupp acquired a plot of land measuring 22.5 thousand square meters in Kohila Parish, Rapla County, to construct a state-of-the-art foundry. The land was purchased through an auction for about 181,000 euros. BLRT Valukoda, a subsidiary within the holding, will operate the newly built foundry.
For years, the holding has been supporting the operation of BLRT Valukoda. Currently, the foundry is the only major surviving foundry plant in Estonia, and it celebrated its 10th establishment anniversary in September 2023. As it happens, the need for larger and heavier cast blanks is increasing among the plant’s most significant customers from Scandinavia and Estonia. However, due to BLRT Valukoda’s limited equipment and production facilities located on the holding’s premises in Tallinn, the company is unable to cover this growing demand. As a result, it was decided to search for a suitable location with convenient logistics and storage facilities to construct a new foundry.
“Despite the challenging economic environment, BLRT Grupp continues to invest in widening its various fields of operation. We are pleased that in addition to expanding our production facilities for casting scrap and cast-iron blanks to meet our customers’ needs, we will also contribute to regional development by creating employment opportunities for approximately 70 people. We expect that most of those people will be from Kohila Parish,” Paul Gross, CEO of BLRT Valukoda, commented on the purchase.
The construction design is expected to be completed by the end of 2024, and the company anticipates obtaining a building permit within the same timeline. The plant’s completion is scheduled for early 2026; its estimated cost is around 14 million euros.
BLRT Valukoda is a subsidiary of the largest corporate family in the Baltic Sea region – BLRT Grupp BLRT. The company has about 30 employees and produces 1 million kilograms of blanks, with 90% of the total output being exported.
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The Estonia will celebrate its 106th anniversary of independence on February 24.
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On February 15th, the day after Friend’s Day (Valentine’s Day is called Friend’s Day in Estonia), the Estonian Ministry of Culture presented the Friend of Culture 2023 contest awards, honouring companies and patrons contributing to the cultural sector. In addition to the awards, Friend of Culture Certificates of Appreciation were handed out; one of these certificates went to BLRT Grupp.
The first time BLRT Grupp received such appreciation was 11 years ago, and we have now been the proud recipient four times – in 2012, 2014, 2018, and 2023.
BLRT Grupp has long been a major sponsor of the Saaremaa Opera Days, cooperated with the Russian Theatre of Estonia and supported the Tallinn Maritime. Among other things, we also contribute to the professional development of talented young musicians, sports and education, and the organisation of various conferences and festivals, thus promoting social unity and overall well-being.
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The 15th welding competition, co-sponsored by BLRT Grupp, was held in Ida-Virumaa on February 1st and 2nd. Over time, the competition has grown from a local event to an international one. This year, vocational schools from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine participated in the contest. Interestingly, the 2024 competition was not focused solely on welding – CNC machine operators joined the welders again.
The event was hosted by state-of-the-art welding laboratories of the Ida-Virumaa Vocational Education Centre. 15 welders and 8 CNC machine operators from four countries competed for the winner’s titles.
“Estonia was represented by Tallinn Lasnamäe School of Mechanics, Pärnumaa Vocational Education Centre, Rakvere Vocational School and Tartu Vocational Education Centre. The winners of the first top three titles in both disciplines – welding and CNC machining – received prizes from us,” told Alena Nessõn, Head of Training at BLRT Grupp’s HR Department.
Welders from Pärnumaa Vocational Education Centre took home the coveted title of winner in welding, and the Best CNC Machine Operator title went to Liepaja State Technical School (Latvia).
“We believe that supporting education-related initiatives promoting in-demand occupations among youth is important. The contest provides an opportunity for welders and CNC machine operators to demonstrate their skills and craftsmanship, learn from each other, and explore new opportunities for continued growth. BLRT Grupp is committed to supporting such events, which play an essential role in shaping highly-skilled professionals capable of confidently meeting any challenge,” shared Alena Nessõn.
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On September 15, Mereabi held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of a new, state-of-the-art Klaipeda service station. The station provides services for life-saving appliances and fire-fighting equipment and is complemented by modern office facilities. Moving to a more spacious location is a significant milestone in the company’s development, contributing to its further expansion in the market for maintenance, repair, and sales services for life-saving appliances and fire-fighting equipment.
Mereabi Management Board member Marina Skljarova stated that the previous production space in Klaipėda was only 400 m2, which was inadequate to handle the increased order flow. As a solution, they decided to relocate to more spacious premises with a total area of 1,400 m2, which have been upgraded and repurposed to accommodate both a service station and office facilities. The new Mereabi operational space is located in the Western Shipyard Group of Companies territory, which has an established logistics infrastructure, making it a convenient location for efficient operation.
The company relocated the existing air and gas compressors, hydraulic pressure test unit, and other equipment to the newly opened station. Additionally, they partially purchased and installed some new auxiliary equipment, such as the station’s ventilation, heating, and water supply systems. The newly established station also has a fully equipped repair and maintenance shop for rescue boats, a designated area for life raft and personal flotation device examination, and a service zone for fire-fighting equipment.
Mereabi also took care of welfare facilities for the employees: there are new shower and changing rooms, and facilities for rest and eating.
According to Marina Skljarova, the company’s office facilities were designed keeping in mind the growth of the company. She said that the previous office in Klaipėda was short of space, and the company wanted to provide a modern and smart environment to their employees, similar to their office in Tallinn, Estonia. Hence, moving to new upgraded premises was a logical development as the company’s workforce is growing rapidly. “Last year, only four people were working at the station; today, we have eight, and we plan to expand the number of our professionals, including white collars.”
“The size of the newly opened station allows us to work on multiple orders simultaneously, giving an important advantage to our company,” the Management Board member added. Marina also commented that Mereabi is now ready to take on more orders from third-party customers in addition to servicing the vessels arriving at the Western Shiprepair. “We are set up to meet the needs of a wide range of customers, providing services not just in Lithuanian ports but beyond, as well.”
Moving to the new production and office facilities is a significant step for Mereabi, ensuring that the company provides high-standard customer service and meets the market demand. Furthermore, it will help the company to meet new challenges and keep growing.
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The Estonia will celebrate its 32nd anniversary of independence restoration on August 20.
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The design and construction of a tanker collecting waste from other vessels arriving at the Port of Klaipėda will be the first large collaboration project between Western Baltija Shipbuilding, a subsidiary within BLRT Grupp and Baltic Workboats. The total contract value is around 11 000 000 euros.
The 42-m long and 10-m wide tanker will carry up to 400 m3 of liquid waste. The vessel will have a fully electric propulsion system with 2 000 kWh of batteries installed on board, meaning she can sail at 8 knots continuously for 8 hours without charging. Furthermore, she will be rigged with automation devices and technologies to support her efficient operation by a three-member crew while ensuring power consumption and operational profile optimization.
Once Western Baltic Engineering, a subsidiary within BLRT Grupp, has developed a detailed design, Western Baltija Shipbuilding will build a hull and install most auxiliary systems. Baltic Workboats, in turn, will desing and install electric propulsion and control solution including battery packs with power management system, and navigation and automation systems and will complete the outfitting of the interior accommodation areas.
“Our shipyard is delighted to be part of a consortium with Baltic Workboats to construct, paint and equip a waste collection vessel that will contribute to reducing the environmental impact in the harbour waters where the subsidiaries of BLRT Grupp operate. We have previously built vessels with different types of engines, but this will be the first all-electric engine vessel we construct,” said Ilja Andrusenko, Head of Marketing and Sales at Western Baltija Shipbuilding.
“We are very pleased to have signed another contract for all-electric vessel construction. We have built hybrid and electric ferries and patrol vessels in the past and are excited to build our first tanker with fully electric propulsion – what makes us especially proud is that it will sail in one of the Baltic states. We are anticipating working together with the Port of Klaipeda again, having built workboats and pilot boats for them in the past. We are also looking forward to working with Western Baltija Shipbuilding and combining the experience of both companies to guarantee the highest quality and functionality for the customer,” commented Rimo Timm, Head of Sales and Marketing at Baltic Workboats.
The tanker will be equipped to collect and treat waste and rainwater, and any additional waste from ships arriving at the Port of Klaipėda will be transported to treatment facilities onshore. The tanker will operate 24/7.
The design of the tanker is already underway, and construction is set to begin this year in the fall. The project is expected to take 24 months, with delivery scheduled for the summer of 2025.
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Construction for the Rail Baltica railway station and infrastructure at Riga Airport is currently well underway. In May, the project’s first stage was completed, and Elme Metall, a subsidiary of BLRT Grupp, actively participated in it, supplying more than 500 special reinforcement cages to the construction site. These cages were fabricated at Elme Metall reinforcement-and-service centre in Vilnius.
Each cage, consisting of three parts, weighs between two and four tons and, once assembled on site, reaches a length of about 30 meters. The total weight of the components supplied was approximately 2000 tons. These cages serve as the foundation for the Rail Baltica railway station and related infrastructure at Riga Airport that will serve as the first high-speed railway and air traffic connection hub in the Baltics.
The prime contractor for this project is B.S.L. Infra consortium.
Photos by Rail Baltica