Finnish ferry service provider, Wasaline was due to start operating with certified biogas for one day a week from 13th October.
This move is in preparation for the EU emissions trading system that will come into force next year.
Biogas is more expensive than LNG, the current primary fuel of the company’s ropax ‘Aurora Botnia’, but Wasaline will cover the extra costs on behalf of its customers, it said.
With certified biogas on board, all Friday departures until Christmas will be climate neutral.
“’Aurora Botnia’ is the world’s most environmentally friendly ferry today, but our efforts to reduce our climate footprint continue,” said Peter Ståhlberg, Wasaline’s Managing Director.
“This is a pilot project to measure the interest of our cargo owners and passengers, and whether it is financially viable to continue biogas purchases. We would like to thank our loyal customers who have made this unique investment in climate-neutral transport possible for the first time in the Kvarken (archipelago), “he said.
Wasaline has already reduced its CO2 emissions by 22% this year, compared to 2022. The use of biogas will further reduce the ropax CO2 emissions.
With four trips on Fridays, 18% of the total weekly departures will be operated utilising biogas, which is being supplied by Nordic energy company, Gasum.
“This is a great initiative that we at Gasum are very happy to be a part of in our role as biogas supplier. Biogas is one of the already available concrete pathways to reducing emissions in maritime transport and travel and it’s fantastic that Wasaline is now setting on this pathway to provide lower emissions services to its customers.
“Our goal is to continuously increase biogas availability to our customers in the coming years,” said Jacob Granqvist, Gasum’s Vice President, Maritime.
The ‘Green Fridays’ pilot project will continue until Christmas. Wasaline said it hoped to be able to further develop this concept in collaboration with its customers.
