Viking Line, Port of Turku and Ports of Stockholm have now been working together for one year on a project which aims to establish a green, fossil-free shipping corridor between Stockholm and Turku.
The parties have now laid a solid foundation for the project and developed a clear plan for a common way forward. On the anniversary on 6 February, the parties and a other stakeholders held a seminar in Turku, where results, experiences, challenges and opportunities were discussed based on the common goal of establishing a green maritime corridor between Stockholm and Turku by 2035.
Magdalena Bosson, CEO Ports of Stockholm, said: “We are very pleased with the cooperation and the work done during the first year. We have been investing in onshore power supply infrastructure for ships for many years and Viking Line is one of the pioneers. Now we are further sharpening our goals together with the other parties to establish a fossil-free shipping corridor between Stockholm and Turku.”
Jan Hanses, CEO Viking Line, added: “We are proud to be part of this important co-operation project for a cleaner Baltic Sea. Our most significant investment so far is to offer all our passengers and freight customers biofuel for transport between Stockholm and Turku, reducing emissions for their journeys by 90%. In addition, a possible battery installation and Elogrids, which reduce energy consumption, are important elements of our work in the coming years.”
Erik Söderholm, CEO Port of Turku, said: “A green shipping corridor gives us the opportunity to promote sustainable development and reduce the environmental impact of shipping. During the past year, we have started more detailed planning of measures related to the green shipping corridor, such as updating our carbon footprint calculation and preparing for the development of charging stations for heavy traffic.”
During the first year, the parties have identified and prioritised the most important goals and measures to reduce CO2 emissions in shipping. A clear project plan with activities has been developed, including:
- Viking Line:
- Pre-study of battery installation on Viking Grace and Viking Glory
- Installing the Elogrid grid system on ship hulls to reduce resistance and improve fuel efficiency, optimising water flow and reducing turbulence, resulting in lower energy consumption
- Increase sales of biogas supplements for transport between Stockholm and Turku
- Port of Turku:
- Study and pilot project for onshore power supply at the quay
- Zero emissions from Viking Line vessels at berth
- Guidelines and incentives for port operators for zero emissions
- In collaboration with external actors, develop concepts that link the green shipping corridor with sustainable transport from and to the port on land
- Opportunity for shipping companies to bunker sustainable fuels
- Ports of Stockholm:
- Zero emissions from Viking Line vessels at the quayside
- In collaboration with external actors, develop concepts that link the green shipping corridor with sustainable transport from and to the port on land
- Opportunity for shipping companies to bunker fossil-free fuels
Image: Viking Line and the Ports of Turku and Stockholm are establishing a green corridor (source: Viking Line)
