Stena Line has claimed to be 10 years ahead of the international shipping targets for reducing emissions.
In the recently published sustainability overview ‘A Sustainable Journey’ the ferry company reported a reduction of both total CO2 emissions and per transported tonne on board the ferries.
New, larger and more energy efficient vessels, AI assisted Masters and an increase in punctuality are some of the important measures listed.
Despite a tough situation for the ferry industry, due to COVID-19, Stena Line said it continued its sustainable journey.
During 2019, the company reduced total CO2 emissions by 1.7%, corresponding to 24,000 tonnes of CO2 in total.
Even more important, Stena said that it continued to improve the efficiency and reduced the emissions per transported tonne freight and passenger vehicles on board the vessels by 3.6% CO2.
This has resulted in Stena Line being 10 years ahead and already meets the IMO targets for 2030 of a 40 % reductions in CO2 emissions efficiency from 2008/2030.
“We aim to be the leader in sustainable shipping and we have high ambitions. During the last 10 years we have improved the efficiency with more than 320 energy efficiency actions on board and onshore, both technical and operational improvements and investments.
“The introduction of AI assisted vessels and the delivery of our first new larger and energy efficient vessels that went into operations on the Irish Sea during the spring, are some highlights from last year,” said Erik Lewenhaupt, Stena Line’s Head of Sustainability.
The biggest challenge for the shipping industry as a whole and for Stena Line is to reach zero emissions by 2050, in line with international targets.
“We are currently working in parallel with reducing fuel consumption, and emissions to sea and air and at the same time, exploring and evaluating the fuels for the future. We are currently involved in several projects with alternative fuels and propulsion, including the world’s first methanol powered vessel and a battery project with the aim of launching a fully battery powered vessel before 2030,” Lewenhaupt said.
