On October 15, 2022, the first ever in Russia bunkering of the newest dual-fuel automobile and railway ferry General Chernyakhovsky with liquefied natural gas (LNG) took place in the seaport of Ust-Luga. Right after bunkering, the ferry, loaded with automotive equipment, headed for the seaport of Kaliningrad.

The General Chernyakhovsky ferry has a power system that uses LNG or diesel fuel with a low sulfur content as fuel.

Using LNG as fuel will help increase the environmental friendliness of the transport infrastructure in the North-Western region of Russia, reducing emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by 20-30 %, nitrogen oxides – by more than 90 %, sulfur oxides and soot – by 100 %, compared to similar vessels bunkered with the traditional “heavy” fuel.

The General Chernyakhovsky ferry has been operating on the Seaport of Ust-Luga – Seaport of Kaliningrad line, which is strategically important for Russia, since October 6, 2022. Marshal Rokossovsky, a ferry similar in characteristics to the General Chernyakhovsky ferry, has been ensuring uninterrupted operation of the line since March 2022.

The innovative dual-fuel ferries were built by The Nevsky Shipyard LLC (part of The United Shipbuilding Corporation JSC) in cooperation with the Turkish shipyard The Kuzey Star Shipyard.

Designed to ensure stable transport communications of the Kaliningrad Region with the main territory of Russia, the vessels have an Arc4 ice class, which assumes autonomous operation in the ice up to 0.6 m thick. The ferries comply with all modern environmental safety standards. Ballast water treatment facilities are also provided on the vessels.