Two new bulk carriers Viikki and Haaga have started operating on the Baltic Sea. Owned by ESL Shipping, a subsidiary of the Aspo Plc, the 25,600-dwt vessels, 160 metres long and fuelled by liquefied natural gas, produce less than half of the carbon dioxide of previous vessel generation, thanks to LNG and many advanced technologies. One of the central innovations is the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in its main engine, three auxiliary engines and the boiler.
Both vessels were built in China, and after completion first sailed to Japan to load a cargo of raw materials. From there, they arrived to the Baltic Sea through the Northeast Passage, which shortened the journey from Japan by three weeks and reduced the emissions of the journey by 40 per cent compared with going through the Panama Canal.
“We are highly aware of the discussion about the environmental issues relating to the maritime industry. Design work on m/s Viikki and its sister vessel m/s Haaga was started five years ago, and these vessels are the manifestation of everything that is possible in the way of environmental efficiency today”, says Mikki Koskinen, Managing Director, ESL Shipping.
This newbuilding project is part of the Bothnia Bulk project, partly funded by the EU. Its goal is to modernize the sea route between Luleå, Oxelösund and Raahe to be more eco-friendly.
Source: ESL Shipping