Baltic Workboats’ hydrogen-powered waste collection tanker RASA was officially christened during a ceremonial event at the Port of Klaipėda. The vessel was built by Baltic Workboats in cooperation with BLRT Group and will begin operating in Klaipėda, supporting cleaner and more sustainable port operations.
The christening ceremony was made especially significant by the participation of the vessel’s godmothers: the First Ladies of Estonia and Lithuania, Sirje Karis and Diana Nausėdienė. Their role in the ceremony highlights the close cooperation between Estonia and Lithuania, as well as a shared commitment to innovation, sustainability and the future of the Baltic Sea.
As Sirje Karis noted, the sea symbolises freedom, openness and opportunities for both nations, but also shared responsibility. RASA is a practical example of that responsibility in action: the vessel will help keep both the Port of Klaipėda and the Baltic Sea cleaner by collecting waste oil, bilge water and sewage from visiting vessels.
For Baltic Workboats, RASA marks several important milestones. It is the first tanker ever built at the company’s Nasva shipyard and the first vessel delivered by Baltic Workboats using hydrogen as an energy source. The 42-metre waste collection tanker is equipped with an approximately 2 MWh energy storage system, 2 × 40 kW hydrogen fuel cells and electric propulsion, enabling it to operate in zero-emission mode for more than 10 hours continuously.
The vessel has a 400 m³ cargo capacity, allowing it to collect waste and bilge water efficiently from ships visiting the Port of Klaipėda. Thanks to modern automation and control systems, RASA can be operated by a crew of just three people.
RASA is also a symbolic project in the wider context of Baltic cooperation. The vessel brings together Estonian and Lithuanian expertise and contributes to the development of cleaner maritime technologies in the region. Its christening in Klaipėda is particularly meaningful in a year when Estonia and Lithuania mark the 105th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.
Baltic Workboats would like to thank the customer, partners and the entire project team for helping bring this ambitious project to life. We wish RASA and her crew fair winds and following seas.
