Baltic Transport Journal 1/2025

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Baltic Transport Journal

REPORT

Baltic transport 2024 highlights

TECHNOLOGY

How to develop a high-efficiency onboard carbon capture system

EU’s roadmap for ports navigating towards environmentally responsible future AI-powered farming for a healthier, more resilient maritime workforce

The Port of Opportunities

The Port of HaminaKotka is a multipurpose seaport serving trade and industry. This major Finnish port is an important hub in Europe and in the Baltic Sea region.

Welcome to the Port of HaminaKotka!

Dear Readers,

Ihope you all have had a strong start to the new year (certainly, our shipping readers had one with the FuelEU Maritime Regulation entering into force…). While we don’t have a crystal ball to predict what 2025 will bring about, the year’s opening issue traditionally rounds up the transport & logistics highlights from across the past 12 months. This time around, wind came to the fore (though at some point, it was hit by a powerful headwind in Sweden…), with the port industry gearing more & more actively to cater to the needs of the wind-energy-harvesting sector. There was also a not insignificant number of developments on the future fuels front, likewise in the area of electrifying operations (most notably trucking, but the Baltic welcomed a few additional onshore power supply facilities in the region’s seaports, too). Several parties also tied the various knots by striking partnerships to establish green shipping corridors, an advancement that earned them a separate section in the Report this time; well done! The Baltic is also progressing with carbon capture – on- & offshore (and here, the Technology column hosts a read on how to develop an onboard carbon capture system, which, besides its high efficiency, also delivers a sellable end product for the circular economy). The past year also resulted in several ‘conventional’ developments in ports, like new quays, and in shipping (newbuilds, especially for Swedish owners-operators).

Other than that, the 1/25 issue is laden with reads that focus, from different angles, on seafarers’ health, physical and mental alike. The advancements here are made possible thanks to modern technology, from artificial intelligence that can spot whether somebody’s well-being may be at risk, through Virtual Agronomists helping grow those wholesome veggies right on board ships, to a new digital platform designed to support people at sea on multiple fronts, professional and social among others. In a world awash with tech that wants nothing but to capitalise on us, it’s genuinely refreshing to see solutions that got the backs of people doing really, really hard work.

The remaining articles touch upon more than up-to-date topics, including lithiumion battery fires aboard vessels, how to green your seaport (particularly if you’re a smaller one) as well as getting hold of actual emissions data, cyber security, taking care of equipment’s safety (you know, ‘before’ it breaks!), and, of course, developing a robotic application for handling container railway wagon pins. Finally, yet equally important, we’re welcoming a new organisation tasked with bringing ports to the next level, the International Association for Port Development.

Wishing you a strong read!

Przemysław Myszka

Baltic Transport Journal

Publisher BALTIC PRESS SP. Z O.O.

Address: Aleja Zwycięstwa 96/98 81-451 Gdynia, Poland office@baltictransportjournal.com

www.baltictransportjournal.com www.europeantransportmaps.com

President of the Board BOGDAN OŁDAKOWSKI

Managing Director PRZEMYSŁAW OPŁOCKI

Editor-in-Chief

PRZEMYSŁAW MYSZKA przemek@baltictransportjournal.com

Roving Editor MAREK BŁUŚ marek@baltictransportjournal.com

Proofreading Editor EWA KOCHAŃSKA

Contributing Writers

JOHANN BERGMANN, HINRICH BRUMM, SVANTE EINARSSON, ALEXA IVY, MARINOS KOKKINIS, LAURA LANGH-LAGERLÖF, INGELA MANDL, PETAR MODEV, DR. HOLGER MÜLLER, HANNAH PACHE, MONIKA ROGO, OREN SAAR, FITZWILLIAM SCOTT, GURINDER SINGH, BRITTA SOMMER, YOLANDA BATISTA VENTURA

Art Director/DTP DANUTA SAWICKA

Head of Marketing & Sales PRZEMYSŁAW OPŁOCKI po@baltictransportjournal.com

If you wish to share your feedback or have information for us, do not hesitate to contact us at: editorial@baltictransportjournal.com Contact us:

Boy with Anchor (1873) by Winslow Homer; photo: Artvee

Discover the perfect view for a port.

Never mind our stunning sea view. Every port has one. We’re talking about the railroad and motorway right outside our office windows. For a port, that’s a view, and a location worth its weight in gold. At the Port of Oxelösund, we have a direct connection to the Swedish railway system, and to Sweden’s biggest motorway, European route E4. This gives us unique possibilities when it comes to processing and transporting goods. If you value logistics with speed and flow, give us a call.

The Port of Oxelösund is more than a port. We can handle your entire logistics chain and optimize every part of your goods’ journey, from start to finish. Our goal is to be the Baltic’s leading port terminal, with Europe’s best stevedoring services.

26 SUSTAINABILITY

26 Small is green

– EU’s roadmap for ports navigating towards environmentally responsible future by Ewa Kochańska

30 A fresh revolution at sea

– AI-powered farming for a healthier, more resilient maritime workforce by Oren Saar

32 From start to finish

How transitioning to electro-fuels could increase emissions (before we see a reduction) by Ingela Mandl

34 Resilient, efficient – and caring

How digitalisation helps seafarers open up about their mental health by Fitzwilliam Scott

36 Forward-thinking healthcare

– From reactive to predictive handling of seafarer health issues by Marinos Kokkinis

38 Training as an enabler

– Interview with Raal Harris, Chief Creative Officer, Ocean Technologies Group & OneOcean by Alexa Ivy

MARITIME

40 All good in The Hood

– A new maritime platform redefines connectivity by Alexa Ivy

42 Unlikely to ease off any time soon

– Tackling a growing cyber security threat in an increasingly connected industry by Svante Einarsson

44 Integration and strengthening

Introducing the International Association for Port Development by Yolanda Batista Ventura

74 Fintraffic VTS joins BPO by Monika Rogo

75 BPO, in an industry-wide open letter, addresses the EU Member States by Monika Rogo

76 Pin up & down

– Developing and testing a robotic application for handling container railway wagon pins by Johann Bergmann, Dr. Holger Müller, and Britta Sommer

78 The future of – proven – maritime GHG reporting

– The DIVMALDA research project by Hannah Pache, and Hinrich Brumm

80 Capturing a greener future

– How to develop a high-efficiency onboard carbon capture system (with a saleable, eco-friendly, circular economy end product) by Laura Langh-Lagerlöf

82 Getting in good condition

– How a digital strategy can support condition-based safety by Gurinder Singh

47 Baltic transport 2024 highlights by Przemysław Myszka

Baltic Sea Offshore Wind Summit , 10/03/25, PL/Gdańsk, www.balticwindsummit.eu

This year’s Summit will convene under the theme ‘How to win the Baltic Sea wind,’ with the programme centred on several distinct but closely interconnected thematic priorities that drive the Baltic Sea wind industry forward: safety, infrastructure, value chain, workforce, and innovation.

Transport Week , 18-19/03/25, PL/Gdynia, transportweek.eu

Day 1 will focus on addressing the Europe – a leader or a follower? question, while Day 2 will house the Baltic Ports for Climate Conference organized with the Baltic Ports Organization. The 2025 edition of the event will tackle the topic of the impact of European policies on the transport sector as well as highlight port investment strategies, including investing in electrification, onshore power supply, and the digital twin technology.

Net Zero Maritime Conference , 23-24/04/25, SE/Gothenburg, leaftinevents.com/events

The two-day event will focus on various aspects and areas of decarbonization to meet the IMO’s regulations, including alternative marine fuels, collaboration and best practices, innovation in shipping, financial considerations, sustainable port operations, digital solutions.

ESPO Conference , 8-9/05/25, GR/Thessaloniki, espo.be/events

The next annual meeting of the European seaport industry will take place in Thessaloniki on 8-9 May 2025. We are looking forward to seeing you – as well as some 200 other port professionals – there!

transport logistic 2025, 2-5/06/25, DE/Munich, transportlogistic.de/en

As the world’s leading trade fair for logistics, mobility, IT, and supply chain management, transport logistic in Munich brings together the entire industry. Decision-makers, experts, and innovators gather here to discuss the latest trends and developments and explore business opportunities. Join us and take advantage of this unique platform to propel your company forward and become part of the future of logistics.

Nor-Shipping , 2-6/06-25, NO/Oslo, nor-shipping.com

The only constant is change. In a rapidly evolving maritime and ocean industry, how can we work to find the strategies, solutions and partners to mitigate risk, maximise opportunity and meet ambitious climate goals? Understanding is key, collaboration is critical. Nor-Shipping 2025 will gather industry leaders from across the world to debate pathways, share knowledge, showcase innovation, and help build the relationships necessary to navigate towards a future of sustainable success.

TOC Europe 2025, 17-19/06/25, NL/Rotterdam, tocevents-europe.com

With an unrivalled 40+ year heritage, TOC Europe is the place to learn from and network with the world’s leading port decision-makers, policy experts, solution-providers and more, enabling you to both supercharge your strategies and make your port operation visions a reality. Whether your focus is on adapting to the unpredictable economic climate or simply embracing the exciting new technologies revolutionising the sector, join us on the road towards growth at the essential container supply chain event. The meeting place where business comes to life!

Baltic Ports Conference 2025, 6-8/10/25, PL/Gdańsk, balticportsconference.com

After a very successful and well-attended Baltic Ports Conference (BPC) in Klaipėda, the Baltic Ports Organization (BPO) already welcomes you to the 2025 edition to be held in Gdańsk on 6-8 October 2025 under the auspices of the Port of Gdańsk. As always, BPO’s BPC will touch on the most topical issues facing the port and shipping businesses in the Baltic and beyond. Stay tuned for more info before long!

BTJ’s on issuu.

TOWARDS PEST-RESISTANT CONTAINERS

The International Symposium on Optimising Container Design to Mitigate Risks of Pest Contamination – organised by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Secretariat in partnership with the Bureau International des Containers (BIC), the Container Owners Association , and the World Shipping Council (WSC) – gathered carriers, leasing companies, container manufacturers, biosecurity experts, and plant health stakeholders to discuss how to address the $423 billion global challenge posed by invasive pests every year. A study by the Australian government took centre stage, revealing that while 8% of standard containers showed signs of pest contamination, the rate dropped to just 1.45% in modified units. “Data from interceptions collected by several countries indicate that approximately 90% of pest contamination found on the external surfaces of sea containers is linked to the understructures, while contamination on internal surfaces is primarily associated with the floorboards,” shared Rama Karri , Director at the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Practical anti-pest modifications, aimed at making containers less hospitable to invasive pests without compromising functionality or cost-efficiency,

include floor designs that eliminate gaps and cracks and prevent nail holes, understructures with fewer horizontal ledge configurations, and the elimination of bitumastic under-coatings. Mike Downes , Senior Technical Expert at BIC and Chair of the Container Cleanliness Industry Advisory Group supporting the IPPC’s Sea Container Focus Group (SCFG), commented, “Container design has historically focused on production efficiency and durability, but in a global supply chain we must also prioritize pest resistance. By rethinking container design, we can mitigate the risks of invasive species and safeguard biodiversity, forests, and global food supplies.”

Lars Kjaer, Senior Vice President of WSC, added, “This is a critical societal issue, and collaborative efforts like this Symposium are helping broaden our industry’s recognition of the problem and strengthen its commitment to accelerate efforts to create a pest-resistant supply chain.” At the end of the meeting, a working group was established to move forward with the many promising ideas introduced. The group will present proposals for container design modifications to the IPPC’s SCFG and ultimately to the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures that oversees the IPPC’s activities in regard to container cleanliness.

YEAR IN FOCUS – 2024 EDITION PUBLISHED

TT Club released its latest publication that looks back over the full 12 months of 2024, covering key themes, events, and initiatives for the global provider of mutual insurance and related risk management services to the international transport & logistics industry. The release focusing on the past year includes topics such as climate

change adaptation and energy transition, contractual management and theft trends, personal protective equipment, and safe mooring, plus expert insight from TT’s Claims Executives on complex issues like nuclear verdicts in the US and freight forwarder liability in relation to recent events in the Red Sea.

NEW SUPPLY CHAIN SECURITY BULLETIN – ALSO OUT

TT Club also released a new edition of the publication in question , this time putting the spotlight on the latest advances in carrying equipment technology that can be considered to give supply chain stakeholders an advantage in the ongoing battle against the criminal fraternity. “A common theme when considering supply chain security is that the criminals behind the theft activity are getting smarter. They are leveraging technology to their advantage, and it appears continually gaining ground on legitimate stakeholders,” warns the insurer. “There have been more extreme cases where those

behind cargo theft have used technology to block or jam GPS tracking devices and even cases whereby a recruited insider has placed a covert GPS device for the criminals so that they have full visibility of their target as it transits through the supply chain, affording them the opportunity to choose an opportune moment to strike.” The Bulletin focuses on smart containers and their promise of greater visibility, safety and compliance benefits, and real-time tracking – altogether a potential solution against illicit activity. The publication explores several solutions and the impact that they could deliver.

COULD CRIMINALS BE RECRUITING YOUR STAFF?

Speaking of insider threat , one of TT Club’s latest TT briefs tries to answer the question at hand. “Criminals acting in the supply chain target all stakeholders and modes of transport to conduct illicit activity, including theft and trafficking of contraband goods. All employees, full-time, part-time, and contract, are useful to criminal organisations as they seek to penetrate the defences against illicit activity,” the insurer warns. “Although they may be directly involved in outright theft of goods, insiders are quite often most useful to criminal organisations as sources of information […] such as stockholding records, load and route plans, and even CCTV records,” TT Club furthers. There are, fortunately, ways to tackle the insider threat, among others, discerning between legitimate and illegitimate recruiters (the former look for skills and strengths, the latter – for weaknesses that can be later leveraged),

thoroughly vetting prospective employees, or considering whether systemic access should be limited (such as maintaining segregation between warehousing and transportation parts of the business). Having strong & trusted leadership, effective communication, and trustworthy whistle-blower policy are also key to mitigating the risk of insider collusion, TT Club says. “Criminals exploit workers through blackmail and intimidation to make them feel isolated and vulnerable. Businesses can counter this tactic by talking openly about the issue and offering workers understanding, protection, and even amnesty for past misdeeds. Workers who feel trapped in a cycle of blackmail and criminal action may struggle to see a way out of the trap in which they find themselves. Businesses may break this cycle by effectively showing a worker a way out,” the insurer notes.

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BALTIC

The Port of Gothenburg: 909 thousand TEUs handled in 2024 (-0.5% yoy)

At the same time, the Swedish seaport’s rail container traffic advanced by 6.8% year-on-year to 505 thousand TEUs. Fewer ro-ro cargo units went through Gothenburg’s quays in 2024 (-3% yoy to 524k), the same as new vehicles (-3.7% yoy to 257k). Passenger traffic also noted a drop (-8.3% yoy to 1,389 thousand travellers). On the other hand, the handing of liquid bulk rose (+18.5% yoy to 21.8 million tonnes), likewise of dry & break-bulk (+5.5% yoy to 463kt).

Rostock Port:

30.1 million tonnes handled in 2024 (-2.4% yoy)

The German Baltic seaport’s main trade, ferry & ro-ro cargo, totalled 16.5 million tonnes (including trucks’ tare), a result on par with 2023. Rostock also handled 7.9mt of liquid goods (+/-0% year-on-year), 5.05mt of dry bulk (-11.4% yoy), and 655kt of break-bulk (-13.6% yoy). Despite the decreases, it was the seaport’s second-best cargo handling year on record. Rostock’s ferry traffic totalled 2.57m travellers (30k more than in 2023). Some 666k private vehicles were brought on board ferries, too (+2% yoy). The 2024 cruise season also saw more visitors, up to 532k from 419k. The finished vehicle logistics sector rose from 32k to 122k units. On the other hand, Rostock’s combined traffic by rail contracted by 3% yoy to 112k cargo transport units.

The Port of Klaipėda:

1,069,678 TEUs handled in 2024 (+1.8% yoy)

According to Statistics Lithuania, the Lithuanian seaport also took care of 240,943 ro-ro cargo units last year, an advance of 16.5% year-over-year. Overall, the Port of Klaipėda handled 35.22 million tonnes in 2024 (+7.8% yoy). The passenger side of the business also saw increases: +0.8% yoy to 370.7 thousand ferry travellers, plus 64.3k cruise passengers (+52.4% yoy).

The

Port of Gdynia:

974,586 TEUs handled in 2024 (+11.5% yoy)

Overall, the Polish seaport took care of 26.89 million tonnes last year, down 8.5% on the 2023 result. While general cargo (excluding timber), Gdynia’s leading trade, advanced 6.3% year-on-year to 16.01mt, other freight groups contracted: liquid bulk by 11.9% yoy to 3.04mt, grains by 17.2% yoy to 5.59mt, coal & coke by 59.6% yoy to 1.14mt, other dry bulk goods by 3.2% yoy to 991kt, and timber by 33.1% yoy to 119kt.

The Port of Gdańsk: 77.3 million tonnes handled in 2024 (-4.6% yoy)

The overall drop was chiefly caused by the 41.8% year-on-year decrease in coal handling, down from 13.4 to 7.8 million tonnes. Liquid bulk, Gdańsk’s prime trade, was up 5.1% on the 2023 result, totalling 39.5mt. With 23.4mt (+1.3% yoy), general cargo came in second, including 20.7mt of containerised freight (+1.0% yoy). The Port of Gdańsk also handled 2.9mt of grains (-6.5% yoy) as well as 3.7mt of other dry bulk goods (-2.6% yoy). Container traffic advanced by 9.7% yoy to 2,249 thousand TEUs. The Polish seaport also saw more ro-ro cargo units, up 3.7% yoy to 139k, likewise passengers –an increase of 4.5% yoy to 166.2k ferry & cruise travellers.

Photo: Port of Gothenburg

Photo: Rostock Port

The Port of Rauma:

4.63 million tonnes handled in 2024 (-2.1% yoy)

International cargo traffic amounted to 4.48mt (-0.6% year-on-year), of which exports totalled 3.02mt (-1% yoy) and imports – 1.46mt (+/-0% yoy). Domestic traffic added the remaining 145.5kt (-32.1% yoy). The Finnish seaport handled a total of 203,514 TEUs (-4.7% yoy): 202,222 in international (-3.6% yoy) and 1,292 in domestic traffic (-65.7% yoy).

The Port of Tallinn: 13.13 million

The Port of Turku:

1.69 million tonnes handled in 2024 (+0.5% yoy)

Totalling 1.66mt, international freight traffic was up 1.9% on the 2023 result, including 855.2kt of imports (+11.2% year-over-year) and 806.7kt of exports (-6.4% yoy). Domestic cargo traffic added the remaining 28kt (-44.1% yoy). A total of 79,188 trucks & trailers went through Turku’s quays (-6.5% yoy), plus 1,619 TEUs (-45.8% yoy). The Finnish seaport also welcomed fewer passengers, down 9.8% yoy to 2,196,223.

tonnes handled in 2024 (+4.4% yoy)

The handling of dry bulk noted the highest advance of 19.4% year-on-year to altogether 2.58mt. Wheeled (ferry & ro-ro) cargo, Tallinn’s prime trade, totalled 6.57mt (+2.6% yoy). The Estonian seaport also took care of 2.11mt of containerised freight (+12.3% yoy), 1.36mt of liquid bulk (-19.8% yoy), 487kt of break-bulk (+16.4% yoy), and 23kt of goods classified as ‘non-marine’ (-6.3% yoy).

The Port of Tallinn’s container traffic amounted to 261,822 TEUs (+18.3% yoy). The seaport’s passenger traffic was up 3.6% on the 2023 result, totalling 8.2m travellers (including 153k cruise guests, -7.1% yoy). The ferry service with Helsinki totted up to 7.23m passengers (+3.3% yoy), with Stockholm – 563k (+4.8% yoy), while the Muuga-Vuosaari crossing saw 153k (-7.1% yoy). Passengers classified as ‘other’ amounted to 53k (+17.5% yoy). TS Laevad, the Port of Tallinn’s domestic ferry subsidiary, transported 2.46m passengers (+2.1% yoy) and carried 1.17m vehicles (+3.6% yoy).

Viking Line:

134,219 ro-ro cargo units carried in 2024 (+7.1% yoy)

On the other hand, the ferry line served fewer passengers, with 4,646,676, down 5.1% on the 2023 result. The first year of operating Birka Gotland  (together with Gotland Company’s Destination Gotland) saw 438,743 travellers boarding the interBaltic cruiser.

The Port of HaminaKotka: 13.14 million tonnes handled in international traffic in 2024 (-6.9% yoy)

Exports totalled 8.61mt (-8.5% year-over-year), while imports – 4.54mt (-3.6% yoy); additionally, the Finnish seaports took care of 131.2kt in coastal traffic (-33.2% yoy). The Port of HaminaKotka’s container traffic amounted to 571,097 TEUs, 7.5% fewer than in 2023.

Photo: Port of Turku

Photo: Port of HaminaKotka

Photo: Port of Rauma

Major port upgrade in Oxelösund

The Swedish seaport will invest around SEK700 million (€62.1m) in infrastructure development and equipment, including quay lengthening, a crane, dredging, and yard space, as well as in railways and a marshalling yard. The project is set to be completed in H1 2027. “The investment will strengthen our own as well as the region’s competitiveness as we open up for new businesses and client cooperation. The Port of Oxelösund has the potential to be one of the Baltic Sea’s most important transport nodes for numerous industries,” commented Staffan Thelander, the Port of Oxelösund’s CEO. He furthered, “With these investments, we’re enabling faster and more environmentally friendly transports, remaining a part of a value chain that will noticeably lower carbon emissions in the steel industry. We see this as a model of how we can help more companies offer climate-smart and effective logistics solutions.”

Tilbury’s third LHM 550

Meriaura’s heavy-load open deck carrier Meri transported the mobile harbour crane from Liebherr Rostock to Forth Ports Group’s Port of Tilbury (London). The fully assembled machinery was unloaded with the help of another piece of Liebherr’s heavy-duty gear, the LH 150 Port Litronic material handler. Tilbury’s new LHM 550, offering an outreach of 54 metres and a 144-tonne configured lifting capacity, will be used for, among others, handling granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) from the expected to start operating in 2026 Aggregate Industries’ new cement grinding manufacturing facility and import terminal in the English seaport. Due to the aggressive nature of GBFS, an over-pressure system has been fitted to force-ventilate the crane’s slewing platform to prevent product ingress into the machine rooms. Additionally, the LHM 550 has been covered in the same paint finish as Liebherr’s offshore and ship cranes for corrosion control that goes beyond most port standards. The mobile harbour crane also features the LieGEN energy recovery system, can run on hydrotreated vegetable oil, and is ready to draw power from an electrical power supply.

Two Baltic OPS port projects get AFIF support

The Port of Fredericia, as well as the ports of Lübeck and Trelleborg, will receive funds from the Connecting Europe Facility’s Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF) for setting up onshore power supply (OPS) facilities. The Danish seaport’s project will receive just over €2.05 million, while the joint initiative of the two other ports – €2.23m. “This will be an extension of our wind turbines that can now supply our customers’ vessels with fossil-free electricity. There are several environmental benefits of onshore power, including avoiding carbon dioxide emissions when the vessels are in the port. Through the project, we contribute to a green shipping corridor in the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Germany,” commented the Port of Trelleborg’s Ulf Sonesson.

Yodohime with a Norsepower…

The Helsinki-headquartered manufacturer of auxiliary wind propulsion has fitted the dry bulker, on commission by IINO LINES and J-Power, with one 24-metre-tall and 4.0-in-diameter Rotor Sail. The device, installed on the forecastle deck, utilises artificial intelligence to automatically control the rotation, direction, and speed of the rotor, using real-time meteorological information from sensors, such as wind direction and speed. In combination with a voyage optimisation system, Yodohime ’s Rotor Sail is expected to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by approximately 6-10%. It is IINO LINES’ second Norsepower retrofit (the very large gas carrier Oceanus Aurora received her two 20-by-4 sails in November 2024) and J-Power’s first.

PGE invests in a new terminal

Port Gdański Eksploatacja (PGE) will spend some PLN400 million (about €93m) on new infrastructure in the Port of Gdańsk’s Inner Harbour for handling and storing agricultural products. The investment will see the construction of nine grain silos, five on the Wiślane and four on the Szczecin Quay, the modernisation of road, rail & port infrastructure, and the purchase of conveyor belts and Liebherr cranes – all to handle ships carrying up to 36 thousand tonnes. The project will increase PGE’s yearly storage capacity by fivefold, to 152kt, while its agricultural goods handling capacity will increase from 700kt to 2.9mt/year. The investment will also pave the way for setting up another agro terminal dedicated to grains and feedstock.

…while Berge Rederi’s newbuilds will get theirs, too

Each of the Norwegian shipping line’s two general cargo vessels, to be constructed by Jiangsu SOHO Marine Heavy Industry, will house a pair of 24-metre-tall and 4.0-metre-in-diameter Rotor Sails from Norsepower. The first 130-metre-long ship, designed by Marine Design and Consulting, is set for launching by end-2025. The sister vessels will also feature battery packs and shaft generators.

The Kattegat Port Alliance

The Ports of Halland, an authority that governs the Swedish seaports in Halmstad and Varberg, and the Danish Port of Grenaa have struck a strategic partnership to work on developing sustainable logistics solutions. The Kattegat Port Alliance will focus on optimising cargo traffic as well as on energy projects, especially in the area of offshore wind (but also the production of biogas and hydrogen, plus carbon capture and storage). “We see this partnership as an essential strategic element in our continued growth and development. For both our customers and us, we see great potential and strong synergies in strengthening and expanding our collaboration across the Kattegat. The Ports of Halland and the Port of Grenaa have enjoyed a positive and close working relationship for many years, and this partnership agreement is a natural yet innovative step forward in our cooperation,” underscored Henrik Carstensen, CEO of the Port of Grenaa. The Ports of Halland’s CEO, Carl-Henrik Hägg, added, “This collaboration enables us to offer our customers even more efficient and sustainable solutions by combining our resources and expertise. Together with the Port of Grenaa, we are creating new opportunities to optimize cargo flows, improve storage, and streamline the handling of complex projects.”

Rhenus further buys into Bulk Cargo – Port Szczecin

After the initial purchase of a 40% stake back in 2022, the company added 58.5%, becoming the biggest shareholder in the port cargo handling operator that takes care of around 4.0 million tonnes/year. Bulk Cargo – Port Szczecin offers 3.5 kilometres of quay wall in the Polish port spread across 11 berths, chiefly for handling dry bulk and break-bulk.

Klaipedos Smelte upgrades its TOS

The container terminal operator from the Port of Klaipėda saw Realtime Business Solutions (RBS) migrating the terminal operating system (TOS) from TOPS Advance to TOPS Expert. The migration marked the last step of a project that took under eight months from the initial kick-off to the go-live stage. The transition itself was completed within four hours and without disruption to the daily activities of Klaipedos Smelte. “The new TOS version offers advanced capabilities for vessel operations, yard management, equipment control, and data analytics. Notably, it enhances automation and accelerates planning processes, enabling terminal planners to respond more effectively to dynamic situations while offering greater flexibility to customers such as MSC,” RBS said in a press brief. The tech company also underscored, “This migration does not mark the end of the process but rather the beginning of new opportunities and possibilities to integrate additional modules and features in the future. The latest version of TOPS Expert can seamlessly integrate with RBS’ new TOPX Intelligent Engine, which will further enhance the terminal’s efficiency in scheduling, dispatch, and execution.”

Kokkola-Yara Finland shipping deal

For the next four years, with two one-year prolongation options, the Yara Siilinjärvi plant will ship out its iron oxide output through the Port of Kokkola. In the past couple of years, Yara’s iron oxide traffic through the Finnish seaport amounted to 250-300 thousand tonnes per year, a volume that might very well double in the future. Plans speak of dispatching two train sets per day between Siilinjärvi and the port. “Iron oxide is a by-product […] generated when pyrite brought from the Pyhäsalmi mine is burned in sulfuric acid production. Iron oxide is mainly transported from the Port of Kokkola as a raw material for the steel industry. The circular economy, such as the utilization of side streams, is one of Yara’s strategic focus areas,” Yara Finland shared. Jyrki Furu, Logistics Manager for the Siilinjärvi plant, said, “We get really efficient supply chains by utilizing the railway network. For example, the wagon rotation time can be completed in a day, while in many other cases, wagon rotation time takes two days. The Iisalmi-Kokkola section is now completely electrified, which significantly reduces the carbon footprint of our products. The port operator Rauanheimo and Valtavirta in Siilinjärvi and VR Transpoint are also an integral part of this fine-tuned supply chain.”

Baltic Power’s first foundation – installed

Van Oord’s recently upgraded heavy lift installation vessel Svanen has put in place the first foundation, consisting of a monopile fitted with a transition piece, of ORLEN and Northland Power’s 1.2-gigawatt offshore wind energy (OWE) farm 23 km off Poland’s coast. The developers have contracted Van Oord for the transport and installation of 78 foundations, atop which 15-megawatt turbines will sit. To make the installation possible, Van Oord had to extend Svanen’s crane by 25 metres. According to the company, she is now one of the largest vessels of such type in the world. Baltic Power is expected to be completed in 2026. Svanen already took part in the set-up of OWE farms in the Baltic, including Kriegers Flak (605MW), Baltic 2 (288MW), Arkona (360MW), and Baltic Eagle (476MW).

WW to operate a terminal in Gothenburg

Wallenius Wilhelmsen has won the procurement and, as of February 2026, will operate the Port of Gothenburg’s vehicle & ro-ro terminal for 12 years. The Norwegian-Swedish shipping line will also invest almost €6.0 million in modernising the terminal’s areas, buildings, and other infrastructure. The terminal in question offers two berthing places, 240 thousand square metres of space, is rail-connected, and features facilities for pre-delivery inspection. Apart from vehicles (including heavy-duty machinery for, among others, the mining industry) and ro-ro cargo units, the terminal also handles project cargo (such as wind turbine components, transformers, and house modules). The terminal in question has been since 2011 operated by Logent Ports and Terminals.

OPS goes online in Kalundborg

The onshore power supply (OPS) facility, delivered by PowerCon, has been commissioned in the Port of Kalundborg’s East Harbour. The station has enough capacity to provide electricity to three ships simultaneously. The Danish seaport said that up to 40% of vessels visiting it annually can connect to the new OPS facility, meaning that 28 ships can turn off their auxiliary engines when visiting Kalundborg. The seaport also underlined the role of the low electricity tax of 0.4 øre/kWh to incentivise shipping lines to draw power from the shore, a scheme that will run till 17 June 2027.

AtoB@C Shipping charters six newbuilds

The Ystad-based company will take hold of the 5,900-deadweight (dwt) freighters ordered by BAAS Shipping in China. The first one, Baymar, was delivered on 26 October 2024, while the second vessel, Soundmar, in January of this year. The remaining four are scheduled for delivery within 2026. Each of the 1A Ice Class vessels, designed by the Dutch Groot Ship Design, has one 71-metre-long box-shaped cargo hold of 321 thousand cubic feet as well as a partial tween deck, which can also be used as bulkheads. AtoB@C Shipping underlined that the newbuildings will enable an almost 50% reduction in CO2 emissions vs the 5,000 dwt vessels currently in its fleet.

Photo: AtoB@C Shipping

WALLENIUS SOL sets in motion a new Baltic-North Sea service…

The Swedish shipping company kicked off a new container feeder loop in the first week of 2025, connecting the Baltic ports of Kokkola, Oulu, Tornio and Piteå with Antwerp and Rotterdam. The 860-TEU-capacity Peyton Lynn C serves this bi-weekly service.

… and buys Mann Lines

The Gothenburg-based shipping line will incorporate their fellow professionals from Harwich, extending the company’s scope westwards as well as within the Baltic. “This acquisition will, among other things, result in a larger fleet and an expanded port network stretching from the Baltic countries to North West Europe,” commented Elvir Dzanic, CEO, WALLENIUS SOL. The Swedish company will see the addition of new offices in Estonia, Latvia, and the UK, as well as some 200 clients. In the Baltic, Mann Lines’ ro-ro Service 1 (operated with the use of the 2,850-lane-metre ML Freyja) connects the ports of Paldiski (Southern) and Turku with Bremerhaven, Cuxhaven, Rotterdam, and Harwich.

New intra-Sweden rail container connections

Dania Connect has launched new services, each with 80-TEU-capacity, that link the Port of Helsingborg with Jönköping and Älmhult on a weekly basis. Trains to Jönköping depart from the Swedish seaport on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; to Älmhult – on Thursdays (here, Dania Connect is working to secure additional volumes to kick off departures also on Tuesdays; the Port of Helsingborg shared that Eimskip and IKEA are among the Monday-through-Friday customers of the new shuttles). SHN Cargo (former CFL cargo Sweden) is responsible for rail traction.

New Poland-Netherlands rail link

The Polish Laude Smart Intermodal has set in motion the weekly container service that connects Zamość and Sosnowiec in Poland with the Dutch Oss. The company underlined in a press brief that Zamość functions as an import/export centre for trade with Ukraine, while Sosnowiec acts as a transhipment point for made-in-Germany metal sheets, bars and rods on their way to Belgium and the Netherlands and handles fertilisers coming in containers. Trains leave Zamość on Sundays and Sosnowiec on Tuesdays, arriving in Oss on Thursdays.

Photo: ShoreLink

Photo: Laude Smart Intermodal

Star again in the Baltic

After a charter gig for Irish Ferries (as James Joyce between Dublin and Holyhead), the ferry has returned to the fleet of Tallink and is, as of 9 February 2025, sailing between Kapellskär and Paldiski. Before entering service, the ro-pax, offering room for 2,080 passengers and 2,000 lane metres for vehicles, underwent renewal and preparatory work at Turku Repair Yard in the Port of Naantali. Star will replace Regal Star and Sailor (the two will remain on standby).

New BBX arrives in the Baltic

The 1,436-TEU feeder Essence has started her service on the revamped Baltic Bridge Express (BBX) of the Japanese ONE. While the former instalment connected the ports of Rotterdam, Klaipėda, and Riga, the new version also includes calls to Kotka and Tallinn. In Klaipėda, Essence berths at Klaipėda Container Terminal, Riga – Baltic Container Terminal and Riga Universal Terminal, Kotka – Steveco, and in Tallinn at HHLA TK Estonia. In Rotterdam, the feeder visits Hutchison Ports’ ECT Euromax & ECT Delta, as well as Rotterdam World Gateway.

Photo: Port of Tallinn

Photo: Tallink Grupp

WHARF OPTIMISATION PROJECT AT BALTIC HUB – COMPLETED

• Visy, with the help of partners from the recently acquired Autepra, installed optical character recognition (OCR) equipment, alongside the TopView system, on 14 ship-to-shore cranes at the Baltic Sea region’s largest container terminal. “The system goes beyond a traditional OCR solution, delivering a complete automation ecosystem with multiple applications that cover the entire load/ discharge process – from ship to terminal tractor and yard – while providing razor-sharp recognition accuracy for container IDs, ISO codes, and other attributes,” the company from the Finnish

Tampere highlighted in a press release. The deployment also features Visy’s newly developed Wharf App. This interface for crane operators includes a view of the ongoing operations (such as active work queues), a tool to browse and review ship’s current situation (containers on board, planned loads and discharges), loading instructions to the ship (both in text and audio), as well as a view on terminal tractors with containers approaching the crane (the system informs the driver whether the box can be transferred onto the ship or if something else needs to be loaded first). •

GREEN FUEL FROM NAANTALI

• Liquid Wind and Turun Seudun Energiantuotanto (TSE) have signed a memorandum of understanding as a step towards establishing a 100 thousand tonnes per year e-methanol production plant to be located in the former Neste harbour area. The facility – for which the final investment decision is expected in 2026, ahead of operations commencing in 2029 – will sit next to TSE’s Naantali 4 power plant, which will feed the e-fuel production with 160

thousand of biogenic CO2 and which will, in return, receive process and waste heat for district heating. “Locally, in the City of Naantali, we will focus on carbon capture and utilization and the reuse of CO2 and waste heat. Globally, we aim to support the transition by allowing our off-takers to shift from fossil fuels to low-carbon eFuel produced at this facility,” Claes Fredriksson, CEO and Founder of Liquid Wind, highlighted. •

LÜBECK TO IMPLEMENT POLO

• The German Baltic seaport has chosen Fintraffic’s POLO Port Activity app to expand the situational picture available to the port authority and to enhance various harbour operations through digitalisation. The open-ecosystem POLO Port Activity allows ports to use and develop the service according to their own needs with

the partners of their choice. Among others, POLO provides real-time arrival and departure times for ships, emission calculations, quay and resource planning, ship notifications for the EU area, invoicing functionality, tug and pilot requests, as well as requests for water and waste management. •

Photo: TSE

PORT SECURITY & RESILIENCE – UNDER DEVELOPMENT IN OULU

• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, the Port of Oulu, and 20 other parties, including tech companies and academia, will carry out a three-year €12.8 million project tasked with enhancing secure situational awareness in critical cyber-physical systems. “Unexpected events – such as accidents or physical and virtual attacks – can threaten the resilience of critical systems. These may result in blocked access to essential functions and resources, misuse of critical data, compromised physical safety, and lack of vital resources, which may cause fatalities, bankruptcies and even societal instability. Therefore, the project aims to develop secure situational awareness solutions, which are very important for critical logistics, mobility, energy, and security systems operating, e.g., in ports,” Juhani Latvakoski, Principal Scientist and Project Lead, VTT, explained. The project partners

added in a press brief, “The project focuses on developing a secure situational awareness concept that enhances trust and security by building autonomous resilience into the system. This contributes towards ensuring that the port can recover from incidents and lower the risks for various digital and physical attacks.” Soila Riutta, Development Manager at the Port of Oulu, further detailed, “We are developing a digital twin of the port area using various sensors, detectors, and radars. Additionally, innovative tracking and identification systems for port area traffic are of particular interest. New technologies provide opportunities, but a current challenge is that they primarily operate as separate applications. In this project, our goal is to create a comprehensive situational overview, particularly for managing safety and critical incidents.” •

HYDROGEN STORAGE TANKS FOR KLAIPĖDA – CONTRACTED

• In a deal worth €1.4 million, the MT Group has contracted Nord Steel to design, manufacture, and deliver three advanced hydrogen tanks to the Port of Klaipėda. The contract includes a 40-bar buffer tank and two storage tanks capable of withstanding pressures of 550 and 1,000 bars. “We believe this project will not only act as a catalyst for the development of green hydrogen technologies in Lithuania but

will also make a significant contribution to the region’s sustainable energy breakthrough,” commented Mindaugas Zakaras, CEO of the MT Group. “We see the Klaipėda Port green hydrogen station project as an opportunity to set a benchmark for such facilities across the Baltic region. Our primary focus is ensuring the highest safety and quality standards,” added Remigijus Kurgonas, Nord Steel’s CEO. •

NORDION ENERGI-ST1 BIOLNG GOTHENBURG CO-OP

• The Swedish energy infrastructure company and the Finnish energy company are eyeing the set-up of a liquefaction terminal for bio liquefied natural gas (bioLNG) in the Port of Gothenburg. The facility of 250GWh of biogas liquefaction capacity will be directly connected to the West Swedish gas network. For clients outside the grid, liquefied biogas will be temporarily stored in a tank before onward delivery, either by truck or by pipeline, for direct ship bunkering. St1 has already reserved a portion of the capacity. The company also shared that it plans to sell 6.0TWh of biogas till 2030. “This is a great opportunity to reach

out with biogas to ships, road transport, and also industries that are not directly connected to the gas grid,” Carolina Wistén, Marketing Manager at Nordion Energi, commented. Matti Oksanen, Director of Gas Business at St1, added, “Biogas is an important part of our energy transition, and we are investing heavily in the expansion of both the production and distribution of liquid biogas. Collaborations with players such as Nordion Energi give us the opportunity to expand our production and sales of biogas, and are an important enabler for supplying, among other things, the transport sector with locally produced bioLNG.” •

Photo: Nordion Energi

GOTLAND COMPANY TO PRODUCE ITS OWN BIOLNG

• Together with Andion CH4 Renewables and Equitix New Generation Fund, Gotland Company will erect a biogas production plant near Eskilstuna, scheduled for commissioning in 2026. The bulk of the 5,400 tonnes/year output has been earmarked for Destination Gotland’s two gas-run ferries, which currently sail on a blend of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and its bio version. Gotland Company said that it already secured the feedstock supply so that biogas production could start in Q2 2026. Within a decade, replacing LNG with bioLNG will reduce the ferry line’s CO2 footprint by some 100 thousand tonnes. Eskilstuna Biogas is responsible for constructing the production plant. “We are pleased that we could take another step towards our goal of offering climate-neutral transport between Gotland and the Swedish mainland by 2045 at the latest. Today, access to fossil-free bunker is far too limited for the transition of both sea shipping and other transport modes. Through this business, we’re

contributing to an increased production of high-quality biogas, securing up to 10% of Gotland traffic’s demand,” Håkan Johansson, CEO, Gotland Company, said. Destination Gotland’s CEO, Marcus Risberg, added, “Bunker is the single biggest operational cost for our company, likewise stands as our largest impact on the environment, and we’re securing a considerable volume of high-quality biogas for a 10-year period. The business forms part of our preparatory work for those regulations that are entering into force, such as FuelEU Maritime.” Johansson also commented on the company’s work on hydrogen-powered vessels (a ferry and a high-speed catamaran), “When working on the next-generation ships, we see immense challenges with access to bunker. Our long-term goal is to run the traffic on hydrogen and other fossil-free bunkers, but the required volumes will only come in the distant future. That is why it’s important to invest in and secure the supply of other fossil-free fuels today.” •

SVITZER ORDERS ANOTHER ECO-FRIENDLY TUG

• The Turkish Sanmar Shipyards will deliver the ASD electric 1,818kWh tug in H2 2025 for serving traffic in the Øresund Strait between Denmark and Sweden. The 356-gross tonnage, 25.4-metre-long vessel, of the ElectRA 2500-SX design by Robert Allan, will have a 70-tonne bollard pull. She will also feature two backup generators for extended endurance and firefighting operations. “In recent years, we have experienced an increasing demand for green towage services in Scandinavia, including the Øresund Strait. At the same time, we have committed to doing our part to significantly reduce CO2 emissions in the industry by 2030. Getting a new battery-powered tug solves both challenges as we can continue to provide reliable and safe services to our customers while reducing the carbon footprint,” Mathias Jonasson, Managing

Director Scandinavia, Svitzer, commented. Earlier, in mid-September 2024, Svitzer contracted the shipbuilders from the Turkish Uzmar to construct a 6.0-megawatt, dual-fuel (methanol) tug that will be, as of H2 next year, stationed at the Port of Gothenburg. The TRAnsverse tug design, this one also created together with naval architects from Robert Allan, will be 34.9-metre-long, deliver a bollard pull ahead of 85 tonnes as well as utilise steering and breaking forces rated at 150t and 200t, respectively, measured at 10 knots (the vessel’s max speed will be 14kn). The escort duty tug is expected to conduct over 90% of operations using its battery-electric powertrain, taking care of up to a quarter of Svitzer’s work in the Swedish seaport. The dualfuel methanol engines will serve as a backup and range extension. •

Photo: Svitzer

OTTERBÄCKEN’S PV SYSTEM – READY

• The installation spans over 900 square metres across a vaulted roof and is expected to generate 181 thousand kWh/year. Should the Port of

Otterbäcken use all the energy produced by the new photovoltaic (PV) system, it would cover 40% of its yearly electricity needs. •

LHYFE’S SECOND GRANT FOR A GREEN HYDROGEN PLANT IN SWEDEN

• The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Leap programme will support the French company with up to €11 million (SEK130m) for the development of a 10-megawatt electrolyser site in Vaggeryd in South-central Sweden. The first batch of renewable hydrogen is expected to be produced in 2027, with the capacity to deliver 4.4 tonnes/day. The output will supply refuelling stations currently under construction in the area. Besides the transportation sector, the hydrogen would also be supplied to industries for heating and production processes. “Green hydrogen is a key enabler in the transition, strengthening the competitiveness of the Swedish industry while increasing domestic energy security with locally produced energy,” said Sara Wihlborg, Country Manager Sweden at Lhyfe. She furthered, “Additionally, the waste heat generated during the production process

will be utilized in the existing district heating network in Vaggeryd. Lhyfe already delivers green hydrogen to industrial customers in Sweden, and with the two facilities now granted Climate Leap support [also 10MW in Trelleborg], Lhyfe ensures a robust and competitive supply solution for green hydrogen for our customers in Sweden moving forward.” The support – which will fund the development & design phases, equipment procurement, and construction work – represents approximately 35% of the total estimated investment cost for the project. Implementing the project is subject to the granting of foreign investment authorisation, operational, environmental & building permits, and a financial investment decision. Lhyfe has already installed four hydrogen production facilities (in France and Germany) and has a project pipeline totalling some 10GW across 12 countries in Europe. •

‘BLACK SAND’ FACTORY IN MUKRAN

• The Finnish Outokumpu will invest around €40 million in a plant for producing biocarbon, some 15 thousand tonnes per year, in the Mukran Port. The factory, slated for commissioning in H1 2026, will use secondary wood raw materials as feedstock. The end product, a fine granulate that looks like black sand, will be shipped to the Port of Tornio for further processing into biocoke pellets (with the pelletising plant ready in mid-2025). These, in turn, will be used by Outokumpu to replace coal and other fossil energy sources in various stages of stainless steel production (with biocoke specifically used as a reductant in ferrochrome smelting). The waste heat generated by the Mukran plant will be fed into the district heating network on the island of Rügen. The Finnish company says that approximately 50% of its direct emissions could be reduced by replacing fossil coke with biocoke. “Outokumpu’s decision in favour of Mukran is the result of an intensive process. It shows how attractive our port is for companies that rely on multimodal transport chains. The planned delivery of raw materials by rail and shipment of the end product by ship will strengthen the site’s logistics diversity. With Outokumpu, we are not only gaining a world-leading company in its sector but also increasing the attractiveness for other potential industrial

customers and supporting the transformation of the location with regard to new energy sources,” highlighted Fridjof Ostenberg, back then Mukran Port’s Interim Managing Director. Outokumpu’s Chief Technology Officer, Stefan Erdmann, also shared, "We are proud that our stainless steel has the lowest carbon footprint in the industry [1.52kg CO2e per kg of stainless steel in 2023], and we are progressing steadily towards our target to reduce our emission intensity across our direct, indirect and supply chain emissions by 42% by 2030 from a 2016 base year. Currently, biocoke represents the best available technology to decrease our direct emissions, and we are also investigating other innovations as well as the use of carbon capture technology to achieve further reductions.” To this, Timo Huhtala, General Manager at Outokumpu EvoCarbon, added, “Biomass-based raw materials offer exciting possibilities for Outokumpu to cut direct emissions. I am proud of our team’s innovative thinking in developing an industrial concept that ensures technical readiness and financial viability for the new investment, driving progress in the green transition today. We want to take an active role in developing the biocoke market, which will give us scale-up and new business opportunities also going forward.” •

CO-OP FOR DEVELOPING TAHKOLUOTO

• The City of Pori, the Port of Pori, and Tahkoluoto Offshore have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at developing the Pori Offshore Wind Hub. The collaboration will define the role of the Hub as the primary logistics and pre-installation base for the Tahkoluoto Offshore Wind Farm Extension project. The 42-megawatt Tahkoluoto, the world’s first offshore wind energy farm erected in freezing waters and operational since 2017, will see the addition of 40 turbines of 15-20MW capacity in 2027-29.

To that end, the memorandum provides a two-year time frame for implementing the necessary infrastructural investments in the port area. “This agreement emphasizes joint development: we are sharing knowledge to support the planning and implementation of both port infrastructure and logistics. Resource optimization is also key – our collaboration ensures that all necessary resources and functions required for the project are available,” said Lauri Kilkku, Executive Director of the City of Pori. •

LIQUID WIND’S E-FUEL PROJECT IN NORTHERN SWEDEN GETS AN ENVIRONMENTAL PERMIT

• The Land and Environmental Court in Umeå has given its green light for the development of the e-methanol production facility that will be connected to the Dåvaverket cogeneration plant of Umeå Energi. The site, expected to be up & running in 2027, will be able to capture 230 thousand tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, using it to produce up to 130 thousand tonnes of e-fuel. “The received permit marks a significant milestone in our journey and ambition to reduce dependency on fossil fuels in the hard-to-abate sectors such as shipping and aviation. This project exemplifies our dedication to pioneering innovative technologies for eFuel production, which are crucial in shaping a greener future,” Claes Fredriksson, Liquid Wind’s CEO and Founder, commented. •

Nordic Transport Preparedness Cooperation – signed

Transport agencies of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden have signed a memorandum of understanding to work towards securing the resilience of the transport system that binds the Nordic region together. “Nordic cooperation in transport preparedness is improving the readiness for major accidents, natural disasters, and other social crises. At the same time, the countries are expanding their cooperation to deal with exceptional situations, the seriousness of which exceeds that of normal peacetime situations,” the parties said in a press brief. Jarkko Saarimäki, Director-General of the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom, added, “The importance of preparedness and security is particularly

relevant in the world we are currently living in. Our job is to ensure that the transport system works under all conditions. Infrastructure must be crisis-resilient, and transport services must be accessible to people. All this serves both civilian and military needs.” Traficom’s Preparedness Manager, Hannu Hakkarainen, also underlined, “The Nordic countries share common threats, risks and vulnerabilities that affect transport preparedness planning. We have one common and sustainable transport system, which we are constantly developing through cross-border cooperation.” The new partnership follows the previous one struck between Finland and Sweden. The parties expressed their openness to welcome Iceland to the pact as well.

Baltic Sentry – launched

During the 14-January-2025 Summit of Baltic Sea Allies, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) initiated the activity in question to deter any future attempts by a state or non-state actor to damage critical undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea region. “The multi-domain activity, which will continue for an undisclosed amount of time, is in response to damage to undersea cables connecting Estonia and Finland on Dec. 25 [2024],” NATO said in a press brief. Baltic Sentry will involve a range of assets, including frigates, maritime patrol aircraft, and new technologies (such as a fleet of naval drones), as well as integrating national surveillance assets – all to improve the ability to protect critical undersea infrastructure and respond if required. NATO will also work within the Critical Undersea Infrastructure Network, which includes industry, to explore further ways to protect infrastructure and improve the resilience of underwater assets. Following the quoted incident, Finland seized the oil tanker Eagle S on suspicion of sabotage of electrical and data cables at the bottom of the Gulf of Finland. NATO has also launched a probe into the so-called shadow fleet that carries Russian oil from the country’s Baltic seaports. According to an investigation carried out by the Swedish branch of Yle, the Finnish broadcasting company, half of all oil tankers from Russia lack Western insurance (having instead a Russian one or lacking

insurance altogether), are old, some are in such a poor condition that they’re blacklisted, and only 10 out of 68 had ice class. Mark Rutte, NATO’s Secretary General, commented, “Ship captains must understand that potential threats to our infrastructure will have consequences, including possible boarding, impounding, and arrest.” Swedish authorities detained another ship suspected of damaging a data transmission cable on 26 January 2025 (the cable belongs to the Latvian LVRTC and connects Latvia and Sweden). The possible act of sabotage took place in Swedish waters (near Gotland) at a depth of around 50 metres. The Bulgarian “shipowner” denies any purposeful wrongdoing, instead blaming bad weather conditions that might have caused the vessel’s anchor to drop (the Swedish Expressen published a photo showing that the “anchor” is indeed missing one of its “flukes”). According to an investigation by another Swedish media outlet, Kinamedia , the detained Vezhen is in fact a Chinese asset (owned by Hai Kuo Shipping 2015B, in turn belonging to the state-owned ICBC Leasing tied with the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China). Kinamedia also brought up a report by Newsweek that China’s patent office received an application for a device that looks like a ship anchor but is in reality an underwater cutter. In November 2024, the Chinese Yi Peng 3 cut two communication cables in the Baltic.

Joint text for GHG emission pricing mechanism – proposed

To achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from international shipping by 2050, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has joined 47 governments in a joint submission to the final round of negotiations at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to adopt a GHG emission pricing mechanism. “The key purpose of this mandatory GHG charge will be to reduce the cost gap between zero/near-zero GHG emission (ZNZ) fuels (such as green methanol, ammonia and hydrogen) and conventional marine fuels, to incentivise the accelerated uptake of green energy sources. Revenue generated will be used to reward the production and uptake of ZNZ fuels whilst also providing billions of US dollars annually to support the maritime GHG reduction efforts of developing countries,” ICS said in a press release. The Chamber’s Secretary General, Guy Platten, furthered, “The industry fully supports the adoption by IMO of a GHG pricing mechanism for global application to shipping. The joint text put forward by this broad coalition is a pragmatic

solution and the most effective way to incentivise a rapid energy transition in shipping to achieve the agreed IMO goal of net-zero emissions by or close to 2050. We are very pleased that such a large and diverse group of nations now firmly supports a common approach to maritime carbon charging. This proposed joint text has been hard-fought and is broadly based on ideas which ICS has been advocating for the past 10 years. While a large number of governments now support a universal flat rate GHG contribution by ships – or something similar – a minority of governments continue to have concerns. Working in co-operation with all IMO Member States, we will do our best to allay such concerns during the final stages of these critical negotiations about the regulatory text.” The proposal will be considered by a critical IMO meeting in midFebruary 2025. If IMO approves the MARPOL amendments in April 2025, they should enter force globally in early 2027, with the collection of annual GHG contributions from ships beginning in 2028.

Source: European Commission

Continuous threat

by Petar Modev, Head of Ship Inspection, The UK P&I Club

The environment in which seafarers operate has always been fraught with risk, but for the modern crew member, they are now having to contend with an increasingly more complex operational environment. The continued integration of more sophisticated systems on board, the pressures to adhere to strict regulatory provisions to reduce carbon emissions, not to mention the very real threat of physical attack stemming from macro-geopolitical issues, all combine to create an increasingly more complex operational landscape. However, as a result of the energy transition, there are also emerging risks from new cargoes, particularly the health and safety implications of the rising carriage of electric vehicles (EV) on ships.

The EV and hybrid automotive market is developing at an exponential rate, with current projections suggesting that it is set to grow by nearly 10% each year, accounting for over 17 million vehicles in 2028. Although these are encouraging signals in the development of sustainable transportation, the implications for supply chain participants, especially carriers, are significant. This particularly relates to the inherent fire risks posed by lithiumion (li-ion) batteries within EVs.

The defining characteristic that makes li-ion fires such a significant risk is the creation of an extremely hot thermal runaway; this is a primary risk where the battery’s internal temperature rapidly increases, leading to a fire or explosion. Physical damage, manufacturing defects, or exposure to

extreme temperatures can trigger this. Even worse, a li-ion battery fire will sustain itself, meaning that rather than lasting minutes or hours, a fire can continue for days. As a result, early identification of such incidents is vital, which means that vessels need systems that use intuitive technologies to identify the fire quickly, as well as suppression systems with additional foam and CO2 capabilities to control the outbreaks.

Common guidance

Several regulatory instruments are being discussed at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) level. In March 2024, the IMO’s Sub-Committee on Ship Systems and Equipment considered specific proposals related to container ship fires and discussed detailed evaluations of the adequacy

of fire protection detection and extinction arrangements with regard to vehicle carriers.

However, due to the pace of the green automotive market’s growth, proactive stakeholders across the shipping industry have recognised that they can’t afford to wait until international regulation catches up. This has led to the launch of collaborative initiatives across shipping, such as the CARGOSAFE study by the Danish Institute of Fire and Security Technology to identify cost-effective risk control options for cargo fires, as well as the kick-off of the Cargo Fire & Loss Innovation Initiative by Lloyd’s Register’s Safetytech Accelerator.

Although these collaborative efforts establish a blueprint for further partnerships, it is not the role of the maritime industry alone to manage this risk.

This is a complex, interconnected issue that requires the collaboration of multiple stakeholders throughout the supply chain.

To address the risk implications of li-ion batteries on board, the Vehicle Carrier Safety Forum has recently published its first good practices guidelines regarding the Common guidance on the loading and presentation of vehicles. Based on shared practices and supported by the International Group of P&I Clubs, the International Chamber of Shipping, and TT Club, this guidance advises vessel operators and supply chain partners on the safety aspects of booking, planning, and presenting electric and largebattery hybrid vehicles at port terminals, as well as loading, stowage and monitoring vessels during a voyage, with a specific focus on car carriers, ro-ro vessels and ferries.

The value of training

As one of the world’s leading providers of P&I insurance for the maritime sector, The UK P&I Club is actively supporting its Members as they navigate new and emerging risks. Equipping vessel operators and crew with suitable guidance to better understand the challenges they face is part of building the foundation for change. As a result, The UK P&I Club has developed, in collaboration with TT Club and BrookesBell, material such as our white paper on the Continuous Threat of Transporting Li-ion Batteries.

In order to ensure that our service offering continues to align with the modern challenges our Members face, we recently launched the new Safety & Risk Management division, which re-positions our in-house loss prevention capability in order to encourage Members to deepen their

understanding of the evolving risk environment in which they operate and adopt tighter monitoring and reporting of safety performance.

Our Safety & Risk Management team is helping Members to mitigate the risk of li-ion fires on board. One of our priority focuses is to promote the value of advanced and effective crew training. This is an essential tool for building crews’ confidence and effectiveness in managing this growing and opaque challenge. For example, in June 2024, The UK P&I Club – in association with React and Simwave – conducted the Modern Fire Risk training workshop. Delivered at Simwave’s Maritime Training Centre of Excellence in Rotterdam, the programme combined classroom and simulation-based learning for superintendents, HSEQ professionals, and technical managers in shipping companies that operate car carriers or container ships. Although physical training is the gold standard, leveraging advanced technologies, such as simulations and online training platforms, can act as a valuable tool for providing the most effective scenario-based training packages.

The enhanced threat of li-ion fires

Unfortunately, despite the documented risk that li-ion batteries pose to the safety of crews, reports have suggested that onboard vessel fire safety standards are in decline. A recent study from the Paris

Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control – which was further corroborated by RightShip – revealed a 14% noncompliance rate for basic fire safety standards aboard inspected ships, with at least 30% of issues identified relating to a basic lack of implementation of the International Safety Management Code. When considered within the context of the enhanced threat of li-ion fires, this lack of preparedness to effectively manage the outbreak of fires on a ship is troubling, to say the least.

Rising EV volumes are reshaping the risk profile of how we manage hazardous cargoes, and this is only going to increase as the market continues to grow. However, if the industry is to ensure it’s well-positioned to manage this risk, attitudes and approaches to preparing against such events must also evolve. From a safety and risk management perspective, P&I clubs play an important role in working with carriers and the wider supply chain partners to understand and manage these risks. Although this issue is complex and multifaceted, the development and implementation of strengthened and standardised training will make a marked difference in giving crew members a greater level of competence in managing the immediate risk that the presence of li-ion batteries pose on board vessels that either carry EVs, make use of powerful battery packs themselves, or both.

The UK P&I Club is one of the oldest such organisations in the world and one of the world’s leading mutual insurers of third-party liabilities for ocean-going merchant ships. The Club insures over 250 million tonnes of owned and chartered ships from 50 countries against potential claims for damage or compensation. Visit ukpandi.com to learn more.

Photos: ICHCA – The International Cargo Handling Coordination Association

roadmap for ports navigating towards environmentally responsible

Small is green

by Ewa Kochańska

The European Commission’s Greening of European Sea Ports report addresses the environmental, logistical, and administrative challenges faced by ports across Europe. The study places particular emphasis on supporting smaller ports to improve their ecological footprint and thus progress towards long-term environmental sustainability for the maritime sector as a whole. By analysing real-world examples of successful green initiatives, the study provides practical guidance for implementing sustainable practices. It also highlights the importance of tailored strategies that consider the unique conditions and operational limitations of each port, ensuring more effective and adaptable solutions.

Large ports worldwide certainly enjoy considerably greater financial resources and risk-resilience compared to their smaller counterparts, which, along with better-established organisational structures, enables them to invest in more cutting-edge solutions and research & development projects. Their access to highly skilled professionals, considerable stakeholder influence, and ability to form strategic alliances position them as leaders in advancing sustainability initiatives. In contrast, smaller ports often struggle with constrained budgets and a resulting cautious approach to risk, favouring instead proven, low-risk environmental solutions, which are usually less effective. Also, a lack of in-house expertise can make identifying and adopting sustainable practices challenging, necessitating costly external support and training.

Additionally, smaller ports often require assistance in securing funding and leveraging technical resources, as they may underutilise financial aid and have minimal involvement in research programmes. Collaborations with larger ports and industry partners can help bridge these gaps, allowing for knowledge sharing, creating alliances, and strengthening the ability to implement green initiatives effectively.

Balancing size and sustainability in regulated waters

It is undeniable that ports are pivotal to achieving the EU’s climate objectives, as they are central hubs for global trade and transport. The block’s 2019 European Green Deal addresses this issue by aiming to achieve climate neutrality by the mid-century, with interim goals such as a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

To support the Green Deal, the EU also came out with the Fit for 55 package, which targets key polluting sectors, including maritime. Specific regulations within this framework promote alternative fuel uptake, energy efficiency, and emission reduction in shipping. For example, the FuelEU Maritime and the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulations incentivise sustainable practices, including the adoption of green energy technologies and zero-emission solutions.

However, the report also notes that the complexity of the EU environmental laws requires special attention to the legality of operations to ensure compliance and effective implementation. That is why legal advisors will play an increasingly critical role in helping port authorities through the regulatory maze, enabling them to align with sustainability targets.

Port operations encompass a wide range of activities, both on the water- and the landside, which have significant environmental implications. These include vessel handling, cargo and passenger services, and developing and maintaining port infrastructure. The current ecological situation and subsequent governmental directives have additionally expanded the role of ports with activities like renewable energy generation and logistics innovation. These operations are influenced by factors such as terminal scale, the types of cargo processed, and the availability of transport infrastructure connecting ports to hinterlands, which are related to geographical location, size, and traffic patterns. The environmental effects of these operations can, in turn, be classified into direct impacts, such as air emissions from bunkering, and indirect ones, like soil leakage and water pollution.

The report underscores four factors that affect the ability of the port to adopt environmentally sustainable measures: cargo and passenger handling capacities, financial capacity and administrative & management scale, geographical location, and multiplicity of activity.

Cargo and passenger handling capabilities are critical indicators, as the type and volume of traffic processed, including diverse freight and transit patterns, define the port’s operational demands and potential environmental impacts.

The financial and administrative scale involves evaluating the port authority’s decision-making framework, organisational structure, workforce expertise, and training programmes; investment capabilities in infrastructure modernisation, technological advancements, and sustainability projects are also vital. The management model adds another layer of complexity to how ports balance environmental goals with operational efficiency and governance structures.

Geographic positioning significantly affects a port’s market reach and ability to integrate into transport networks; proximity to land and water routes enables efficient intermodal transport, reducing delays and improving logistics efficiency. Ports situated near industrial zones or with access to renewable energy resources can amplify their role in fostering economic and sustainable development through resource optimisation, energy production, and manufacturing synergies.

The multiplicity of activities can also be leveraged in ports to enhance operational and environmental performance. By ensuring seamless logistics, ports minimise downtime and handle diverse cargo types more efficiently. The integration of renewable energy infrastructure, such as wind and solar facilities, alongside industrial activities within or near the port reinforces their capacity for sustainable growth while promoting energy transition and environmental responsibility.

Analysing these factors provides actionable insights into how each port can address sustainability challenges, at the same time adapting to the dynamic maritime and logistics landscape. Strategic considerations, like land utilisation, throughput capabilities, and stakeholder collaboration determine a port’s ability to implement green initiatives effectively. These assessments guide investment priorities and foster partnerships with stakeholders, including shipping lines, investors, and policymakers, to strengthen the port’s competitive edge and environmental resilience.

Transferability of practices

Identifying and sharing best practices globally enhances the maritime sector’s transition towards sustainability. The results of case studies analysed for the Greening of European Sea Ports report allowed for the development of a taxonomy of best green practices, which can serve as a valuable resource in enabling the successful adoption of sustainable practices across ports of varying sizes and capacities.

However, best practices can be adopted as long as their transferability (i.e., ability to modify initiatives developed in larger, well-resourced ports to smaller ones) potential is first carefully examined. Key aspects of transferability include addressing the complexity and scale of green initiatives, which may require simplified implementation strategies, custom-made formulas, and capacity-building efforts for smaller seaports to align with their resources and capabilities.

Technology transfer is another significant component, emphasising the need to adapt environmentally friendly technologies to suit the operational and technical frameworks of smaller harbours. Ensuring compatibility and relevance of these technologies enhances their applicability and success in less complex settings.

Capacity-building programmes further support the transferability process

Fig. 1. The cause-and-effect relation of environmental aspects and impacts related to port operations

Source for all figs.: European Commission

by equipping personnel with the knowledge and skills necessary to implement and sustain green practices effectively. These efforts can involve training, knowledge-sharing collaborations, and partnerships with industry experts to bridge the expertise gap that smaller ports often face.

Finally, financial resources are fundamental to enabling ports to adopt and maintain sustainable practices, and for smaller organisations, financial constraints can present insurmountable roadblocks. Addressing these challenges involves exploring diverse funding options, such as government grants, green bonds, public-private partnerships, and technical assistance programmes.

Assessing these components of transferability ensures that smaller ports can effectively incorporate green initiatives, considering the challenges they face due to limited resources, capacities, and lower risk-resilience. Drawing lessons from the experiences of larger entities allows fellow professionals managing smaller seaports to navigate challenges more effectively and focus on practical, actionable strategies. This holistic approach facilitates the equal distribution of sustainable practices across the port sector, promoting environmental responsibility on a broader scale.

Follow

the green brick road

The roadmap put forward by the report is a strategic guide designed to help ports adopt eco-friendly practices, ensuring their operations remain sustainable while meeting regulations and supporting broader environmental goals. The roadmap’s main areas of intervention include policy and target setting, measure assessment and prioritisation, and monitoring and reporting.

Policy and target setting for ports involve two key steps: understanding the legislative context and fostering motivation among stakeholders. Compliance with legal frameworks, including EU directives, national laws, and local regulations, is essential for ensuring adherence to existing rules and preparing for future ones. Ports must analyse relevant legislation, sometimes with legal experts, to mitigate risks. The complexity of regulatory compliance is exemplified in dredging projects, where ports must assess environmental impacts, secure permits, and manage waste disposal according to legal requirements; addressing legal considerations early is crucial to the success of sustainability-focused initiatives.

Motivating stakeholders is equally important in making green steps, requiring a clear vision, defined goals, and active engagement. Communicating the

benefits of sustainable practices through preliminary assessments and structured discussions helps align stakeholders, from employees to regulatory bodies. Engagement strategies range from formal committees for large projects to informal meetings for smaller ones. For instance, in a solar panel installation, assessing energy use, setting reduction targets, and maintaining stakeholder involvement through updates and feedback ensure commitment and long-term success.

Measuring assessment and prioritisation involve seven key steps: baseline assessment, stakeholder engagement, alignment and coordination, implementation plan rollout, strategic solutions action plan, evaluation framework, and resource and budget. A baseline assessment establishes a port’s current environmental status by analysing factors such as air quality, energy consumption, and waste generation. The findings help identify areas for improvement, forming the basis for future sustainability efforts.

Engaging stakeholders ensures that diverse perspectives are considered and fosters collective stewardship of green initiatives. This process involves consulting industry representatives, environmental groups, and local communities through workshops or surveys, leading to the development of an engagement

Fig. 2. Good green practices taxonomy

plan that outlines goals, participants, and methods of interaction.

Alignment and coordination ensure the port’s action plan complements other relevant strategies while optimising resources and avoiding conflicts. This involves identifying related plans, engaging stakeholders to ensure consistency, and regularly updating the framework to incorporate new developments. The primary outcome is a harmonised planning framework with coordinated actions (particularly at local and regional levels).

The strategic solutions action plan aims to implement prioritised green initiatives that balance environmental sustainability, economic viability, and operational effectiveness. Depending

on project size, plans may be detailed or simplified, outlining chosen practices, execution steps, timelines, resource needs, and expected impacts. The report encourages seaports to explore innovative solutions beyond conventional methods and seek alternative funding models, such as partnerships with tech start-ups or public-private collaborations.

The implementation plan rollout focuses on translating the action plan into concrete steps for effective execution. It involves engaging managerial and technical experts to oversee the process, with detailed implementation steps and progress monitoring for large projects, while smaller initiatives can adopt a simpler approach emphasising key actions and quick results.

The evaluation framework assesses potential environmental solutions by analysing feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and overall impact. It builds on the baseline assessment and stakeholder input, using pre-feasibility studies and cost-benefit analyses to guide decision-making. Preliminary feasibility studies, including cost-benefit evaluations and consultations with relevant parties, are essential in identifying the most promising approaches.

The last step, resource and budget, requires evaluating material, financial, and human resource needs while establishing viable funding mechanisms. A well-structured financial strategy should explore multiple funding avenues, leverage specific provisions in port concession agreements, or engage third-party service providers who help secure the necessary funds.

Assessing performance and reporting are essential for measuring the success of sustainability initiatives. This process involves establishing KPIs and collecting both quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate outcomes. Metrics such as energy consumption, waste reduction, levels of different emissions, and cost savings provide concrete evidence of impact, while stakeholder input – gathered through surveys, workshops, and consultations – adds valuable insights. Evaluations should consider economic, social, environmental, and technological factors to ensure a holistic approach to port greening. Regular reviews and detailed assessment reports help track progress, outlining the effectiveness of initiatives and refining strategies where needed. Further, a well-structured monitoring system ensures ongoing evaluation and adaptability of sustainability efforts. Continuous tracking through performance dashboards, periodic assessments, and stakeholder consultations allows ports to refine their strategies in response to evolving needs and circumstances. Establishing a dedicated monitoring framework supports data-driven decision-making, ensuring transparency and accountability in environmental initiatives.

The greening climate

The maritime sector is facing challenges pertaining to achieving environmental neutrality and thriving within its ecological ecosystem. The Greening of European Sea Ports report points out that the ambitious sustainability goals put forward by global communities can only be achieved in a climate of cooperation and resource sharing. This way, seaports, big and small, can diminish their negative impact on the environment while continuing to serve as vital economic drivers. ‚

Fig. 3. The roadmap for greening the EU seaports

A fresh revolution at sea

by Oren Saar, CEO, Agwa

As the maritime industry undergoes a profound transformation – driven by digitalisation, automation, and decarbonisation – the health and well-being of the 1.9 million mariners powering global trade often remain an overlooked priority. The reality is that poor diet and nutrition at sea present a growing challenge, affecting not only individual health but also vessel safety and operational efficiency.

Despite their indispensable role, seafarers continue to face alarming health challenges, largely driven by poor diet and nutrition. According to the 2024 edition of the Re:fresh Global Seafarer Wellbeing Report , 70% of the people working at sea are classified as overweight or obese, a direct consequence of diets high in processed and preserved foods. Studies also indicate that long-term consumption of low-quality food at sea is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome.

Beyond the physical toll, inadequate nutrition can cause impaired cognitive function while exacerbating mental health struggles. In an industry already facing a projected shortage of over 60 thousand officers by 2028, the question is no longer whether crew nutrition needs to change but how quickly the industry is willing to embrace solutions that directly enhance crew health, morale, and operational resilience.

As younger generations bring new expectations to the workforce, the industry must rethink its approach to crew welfare. This is where artificial intelligence

(AI)-powered onboard agriculture is poised to be a game-changer.

The Virtual Agronomist

Traditionally, ship provisioning has been limited by infrequent port resupplies, long voyages, supply chain disruptions, and storage limitations, leading to a reliance on frozen, dehydrated, and canned products. Even when fresh produce is stocked, it often perishes within days.

Advancements in controlled-environment agriculture now make it possible for vessels to autonomously grow fresh produce on board. AI-powered hydroponic systems, such as those developed by Agwa, deploy a Virtual Agronomist, continuously monitoring plant growth through three key data streams: image analysis, sensory data, and consumer behaviour insights.

These intelligent systems analyse environmental conditions in real-time, adjusting variables, such as light, humidity, and nutrients, to optimise growth and ensure the highest-quality yield, regardless of a vessel’s location or climate.

This ‘plug & play’ technology requires only water, electricity, and Wi-Fi to function, and the integrated app provides real-time

updates on vegetable growth, alerts for optimal harvesting times, and the ability to customise plant selections. This means that crew members with no agricultural experience can easily operate the system.

Owners-operators using Agwa’s technology – including Maersk, Synergy Marine, Eastern Pacific Shipping, Capital Shipping, Anglo Eastern, and others – are already cultivating leafy greens, herbs, nutrient-rich greens, and bulbs year-round. Additional crops, such as tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, and sprouts, are under development. This variety ensures a more balanced diet for seafarers, catering to different culinary preferences and dietary needs while providing essential vitamins and minerals.

This shift to self-sustaining onboard food production means that vessels can harvest fresh vegetables on demand, reducing spoilage, food waste, and logistical complexities. More importantly, it provides seafarers with consistent access to high-quality, nutrient-rich vegetable supply, improving both health and morale.

A sound mind in a sound body

The link between nutrition, cognitive function, and safety is well-documented.

Poor diets contribute to fatigue, cognitive decline, and reduced alertness, increasing the risk of human error, which is one of the primary causes of maritime accidents. Mental health challenges among seafarers are also rising, with stress, anxiety, and depression reducing job satisfaction and exacerbating retention issues. At the same time, higher incidences of chronic disease related to inadequate nutrition are also likely to result in more medical emergencies at sea.

Conversely, research into seafarers’ dietary habits found that 98.8% of crew members believe a healthy diet is essential for well-being, highlighting the widespread demand for fresh, nutrient-rich foods. Evidence shows that access to balanced meals enhances concentration, reaction times, and overall performance, making vessels safer and more efficient.

Beyond its nutritional value, onboard agriculture introduces a vital connection to nature in an otherwise industrial ship environment, providing significant psychological and social benefits. Engaging with plants through gardening, harvesting, and preparing fresh meals fosters teamwork, strengthens community bonds, and enhances morale.

Meanwhile, the ‘biophilic’ effect of having greenery aboard reduces stress, improves mental well-being, and instils a sense of accomplishment. The autonomy gained from growing and consuming fresh produce counteracts feelings of isolation, offering crew members greater control over their diet and health.

Closed-loop & hyper-local

Currently, ship operators’ budgets are spent inefficiently on port-supplied vegetables, much of which is wasted due to spoilage. Onboard food production allows ships to spend the same while receiving more – ensuring a reliable, high-quality vegetable supply year-round. By addressing limitations in the maritime food supply chain, AI-powered farming presents a practical, scalable, and financially viable solution.

Onboard vegetable production also supports industry-wide decarbonisation efforts. By growing food at the point of consumption, onboard farming reduces emissions from food transportation, storage, and packaging disposal, eliminates packaging waste associated with traditional provisions, minimises food waste as vegetables are harvested fresh when needed, and strengthens food security, reducing the impact of global supply chain disruptions.

For an industry increasingly under the ESG microscope, adopting a closed-loop, hyper-local food production model aligns with global sustainability commitments

while supporting better long-term planning for ship operators.

The standard

The maritime sector can no longer afford to overlook the fundamental needs of its workforce. AI-powered onboard farming is not a futuristic concept – it is a real, scalable solution that is already transforming crew welfare and sustainability.

While the industry has invested billions in automation, digitalisation, and fuel efficiency, the people who keep ships running must remain on the front burner. By ensuring access to fresh, healthy food at sea, shipping can foster healthier, happier, and more resilient crews while addressing retention challenges and supporting maritime decarbonisation.

Food security and crew well-being must become strategic priorities as the industry navigates economic pressures and ESG commitments. Onboard growing systems like Agwa’s offer a practical, cost-effective solution that bridges the gap between life at sea and life on land. Fresh food should not be a luxury – it should be the standard. The future of shipping isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about people.

It is time to set a new benchmark for crew nutrition, resilience, and well-being – and AI agronomists are the answer. ‚

Agwa is spearheading a fresh revolution at sea with an advanced, fully autonomous system that empowers vessel crews to grow fresh, chemical-free vegetables year-round. Using state-of-theart AI technology, Agwa ensures a reliable supply of nutritious produce, no matter the route, port restrictions, or weather conditions. Visit agwafarm.com to harvest more.

These benefits contribute to a more rewarding onboard experience, helping to attract and retain talent.

Photo: Agwa

From start to finish

by Ingela Mandl, Director Sales and Marketing, Oceanly

The industry’s move to cleaner fuels – like ammonia, methanol, and hydrogen – to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is a complex process and could risk leading to a higher overall footprint, as highlighted in a report by INTERTANKO. The question then arises: how to transition to new green bunkers without doing more harm than good?

Electro-fuels are beneficial because they burn cleanly. That said, producing them requires a significant amount of renewable energy. If electricity from fossil fuels is used in their making, it negates the environmental benefits we intend to gain. This shows why we need to think about the whole picture, looking at emissions from start to finish.

Furthermore, the infrastructure required to produce and transport electro-fuels is still in its infancy. Achieving the shipping industry’s goal of no emissions by 2050 will require a substantial increase in renewable energy – about 5,000-6,000TWh annually. This figure is far more than the renewable energy used now in places like the EU, which is approximately 1,700TWh/year.

The MEPC 79/7/3 document by INTERTANKO, presented to the International Maritime Organization in September 2022, has discussed the scale of this challenge. It highlights that while electro-fuels look promising, we must carefully assess their environmental impact and if our current energy systems can handle the change.

Over two years on from that report and the challenge we face is still enormous and complex, with the risk of increasing emissions still an ongoing issue.

Diving into the unknown

Making future fuels isn’t simple. For instance, producing green ammonia requires hydrogen derived from water electrolysis, an energy-intensive process. Currently, it predominantly relies on electricity from non-renewable sources, ironically increasing the carbon footprint of what is intended to be a ‘green’ fuel.

Moreover, ramping up production to meet the shipping industry’s demands would consume significant resources and funding, potentially diverting attention and investment away from other critical renewable energy projects. This transition could strain existing energy supplies and spark competition for limited renewable resources, possibly hindering global emission reduction efforts.

There is a lot of work to be done before we can be confident of a smooth transition. Over the next few years, we are going to hear lots of new information coming out about future fuels, and shipowners and managers will need to make some hard decisions on what route is the most sustainable for them. This is a tricky road to navigate because companies want to start preparing now, but there is still so much to learn about new fuels and how we, as an industry, can work together to ensure we are meeting the emission goals.

I believe there will be a few steps between going from fossil to alternative fuels, and there will be a mix of transition fuels and new technologies that will be used as we go down the road to decarbonisation. It is important the industry embraces new tech solutions that come out onto the market as they can significantly improve the performance of a fleet.

The next few years are going to be a steep learning curve as we are all diving into the unknown. To reach our goals, we should all be sharing best practices, learning from other industries, and finding out and talking about what does and, crucially important as well, what doesn’t work. Collaboration is key, and to make our industry sustainable, we must all work together with the same goal in mind.

Evolving sustainably

At Oceanly, we recognise that while transitioning to new fuel technologies is crucial, focusing on immediate improvements in energy efficiency within maritime operations is equally vital. Our platform facilitates this by providing a command centre for decarbonisation, enhancing operational efficiency and energy management across fleets. This system enables ship operators to establish proven methods, pinpoint focus areas,

and measure the effectiveness of energy-saving devices. Essentially, this platform serves as the foundation for a shipping company’s decarbonisation efforts. Operating without such data control is akin to navigating blind. Oceanly offers data control and visualisation for analysis, laying the groundwork for informed decision-making.

Oceanly collaborates with industry stakeholders to help develop the infrastructure and policies necessary for sustainable practices without overburdening existing renewable resources. As we move forward, integrating strategies to reduce operational emissions while considering the broader

impacts of fuel production is essential for achieving a sustainable maritime future. By improving transparency and efficiency, we help the shipping industry evolve sustainably, supporting the shift towards greener practices with decisions informed by solid data. Until electro-fuels are fully viable, solutions like Oceanly provide the

necessary foundation, maximising current efficiencies and preparing for future fuel transitions, ensuring that when the time comes, the industry can shift seamlessly to new energy sources. This proactive and foundational approach is a key enabler in the maritime industry’s journey towards sustainability. ‚

We are a team of sailors, naval engineers & architects, consultants and developers, all with a drive to get the shipping industry to a zero footprint. Founded in 2016, Oceanly is on a mission to deliver the industry leading fleet performance solution to shipowners, managers, and operators worldwide. Sail to theoceanly.com to learn more about the challenge we’ve taken up and the solution we’re developing to tackle it.

Photos: Oceanly

Resilient, efficient – and caring

by Fitzwilliam Scott

The maritime industry, long known for its demanding work environment and physical isolation, is undergoing a significant cultural shift. Traditionally, the focus within this sector has been on ensuring physical health and safety to meet the arduous demands of life at sea. However, in recent years, a growing recognition of the psychological pressures faced by seafarers has sparked a change in priorities, driven by an evolving understanding of the critical role mental health plays in the overall well-being and performance of maritime professionals.

As the industry embraces this new perspective and begins to actively address the unique mental health challenges posed by prolonged isolation, high-stress conditions, and the demanding nature of life at sea, VIKAND, a global leader in maritime healthcare and well-being solutions, has unveiled a novel wellness data-collection tool, enabling seafarers to share their mental health concerns anonymously. This innovation, developed in partnership with the Danish tech company Scoutbase, is transforming how ship operators address seafarers’ well-being, fostering openness and proactive care in an industry that relies heavily on its people.

Ronald Spithout, Managing Director of OneHealth by VIKAND, recently spoke about the new tool at the International Maritime Human Factors Symposium (IMFHS) in London, stating that it underlined the concept of ‘Crew Asset Management’ – treating crew members as a ship’s most valuable resource. He explained how real-time data gathering can revolutionise the maritime industry’s approach to mental health, ensuring that seafarers receive the care and support they deserve. “The shift to digitalisation in maritime has massively impacted how we can support our seafarers. By capturing and monitoring wellness and health information in real-time, we can provide seafarers with medical advice and support unlike ever before. This is a huge step forward!” Spithout underscored.

How it works

Scoutbase’s tool enables seafarers to provide anonymous feedback via a chatbot interface. Every 48 hours, it asks crew members a simple question from a rotating bank, such as “How are you sleeping lately?” or “What’s the most stressful part of your job?” Responses are collected anonymously and analysed using artificial intelligence (AI), which assigns each response a sentiment score – positive, neutral, negative, or critical; the last of these triggers alerts, allowing for immediate action, including voluntary calls with mental health professionals.

The solution’s simplicity has been key to its success, and with engagement rates surpassing 80%, Scoutbase has proven to be an effective method for encouraging seafarers to open up about their mental health. The system can engage with seafarers in 200 languages, and this has also been helping them to talk about what is really going on in their life on board. The user-friendly design not only provides a platform for self-expression but also generates actionable insights for ship operators.

From feedback to action

Scoutbase’s data collection extends far beyond simply identifying issues – it transforms feedback into opportunities for improvement. For instance, on one ship, the collected input revealed that crew mattresses hadn’t been updated in a decade. This insight led to a fleet-wide bedding upgrade, directly improving crew wellness and job satisfaction.

The tool’s primary aim isn’t to act as a digital complaint box but to empower ship operators with the data needed to make informed, proactive decisions. The insights generated can uncover systemic issues (such as workplace bullying, fatigue, or outdated safety protocols), and by addressing these challenges head-on, ship operators can enhance safety, productivity, and crew morale, ultimately supporting better business outcomes.

Shining a light

One of the biggest challenges facing the maritime industry is crew retention. Attracting new talent and retaining experienced seafarers requires creating a safe, satisfying, and supportive work environment so that tools like this can make seafarers feel valued and listened to. “Understanding how a crew is doing and what they need to succeed is the first step to creating a culture of proactive change,” explained Yassin Askar, Co-founder of Scoutbase. “One client told us it’s like shining a light on challenges that lurk in the shadows. To take those insights away now would be like going back to the dark ages.”

By offering a platform for seafarers to express their concerns anonymously, Scoutbase acts as a pressure valve, allowing long-standing issues to surface in a constructive manner. For many ship operators, this represents a significant cultural shift towards prioritising the human element of their operations.

Someone is listening

VIKAND has integrated Scoutbase’s safety and well-being platform into its healthcare solutions, creating a seamless system for collecting, analysing, and acting on crew feedback. This integration allows ship operators to address health, safety, and operational concerns more effectively than ever before.

One of the main features is the possibility for crew members to provide feedback anonymously without fear of retribution, fostering genuine openness. Data is analysed instantly, enabling proactive decision-making by shipping operators, who can then tailor feedback and advice to the needs of the individual seafarer. For instance, a crew member may be struggling with a mental health issue, flagged by their responses, and so they can be ‘nudged’ to contact a VIKAND psychologist by clicking a button. Sentiment analysis and predictive modelling also identify trends and

critical issues. “Our experience is that more people are opening up to AI rather than a human,” observed Ronald Spithout. “The whole idea of this tool is that it makes seafarers feel like someone is listening.”

Number one priority

Traditionally, decision-making in the maritime industry has been reactive. Issues were often addressed only after they had escalated, leading to reduced

crew morale, safety risks, and financial losses. The integration of Scoutbase’s technology into VIKAND’s healthcare solutions marks a shift towards proactive care. Operators can now identify and address challenges before they become major problems, creating a safer and more supportive work environment.

This shift is particularly important as the industry adapts to evolving workforce expectations. Younger generations entering the maritime field prioritise mental health and work-life balance, making technology such as that from Scoutbase essential for attracting and retaining talent.

The well-being of seafarers is more than just a moral obligation – it is vital for business. Fatigue, dissatisfaction, and mental health struggles can lead to accidents, injuries, and high turnover rates, all of which carry significant costs for ship operators. By addressing these issues proactively, VIKAND and Scoutbase are not only improving the lives of seafarers but also ensuring the long-term sustainability of the maritime industry. Yassin underlined, “Looking after seafarers must be our number one priority. With tools such as ours, we can give them a stronger voice, help operators make informed decisions, and create a brighter future for commercial shipping.”

Seafarers – empowered

As the maritime industry continues to embrace digitalisation, tools like VIKAND’s wellness data-collection platform will play an increasingly vital role in shaping its future. By empowering seafarers to share their concerns and enabling operators to act on real-time insights, this innovative solution is setting a new standard for mental health and well-being in the maritime sector.

Ultimately, the success of any ship depends on its crew, so by prioritising their mental health and addressing their needs proactively, VIKAND and Scoutbase are ensuring that the maritime industry remains resilient, efficient – and caring. ‚

VIKAND provides proactive total healthcare solutions for the shipping, cruise, yachting, and offshore industries. Crew members and guests alike trust VIKAND to provide expert medical care, telemedicine, risk mitigation, and other valuable health services, and the world’s leading maritime companies rely on us to protect their most important asset at sea – people. Visit vikand.com to learn more.

We support organisations in creating better and safer workplaces by helping to identify what makes work difficult for people. Scoutbase collects feedback, automatically and continuously, directly from seafarers about their work and life at sea and displays this in real time. Our interdisciplinary team combines safety science, design thinking, and technology to help improve work and life at sea. Discover more at scoutbase.com

Photo: Scoutbase

From reactive to predictive handling of seafarer health issues

Forward-thinking healthcare

by Marinos Kokkinis, Managing Director, OneCare

Group

The traditional approach to handling health issues in the maritime sector has been reactive, a practice that can negatively impact the unique demands of life at sea. Ship managers and owners can really see their operations impacted when unforeseen health instances occur, and crews must sometimes disembark to seek emergency treatment. In most cases, the shipping company’s priority is, of course, the health and well-being of the seafarer, but there are still financial implications and challenges to navigate to ensure that crew members get the help they need and the vessel remains fully staffed. Fortunately, the latest technological advancements offer opportunities to adopt a more proactive approach – and even prevent the deterioration of health conditions.

There is a clear shift away from reactive healthcare towards a more preventative approach, and the OneCare Group’s (OCG) recent partnership with the artificial intelligence (AI)-powered platform Riverr to provide predictive health intelligence shows how we are dedicated to leading the industry in this new era. Together, we are transforming maritime healthcare, ensuring that the industry can shift from crisis response to preventive wellness, ultimately creating safer, more productive, and healthier environments for all seafarers.

Our recent collaboration will enable OCG to carry out an enhanced preemployment medical examination (PEME) programme by assisting doctors with data-driven insights during assessments. This innovative tool forecasts risks, such as hypertension and diabetes, empowering medical teams to provide more effective evaluations and personalised care recommendations. Personal health programmes, monitored through

our member company, Marine Medical Solutions, ensure continuity of care and health improvement over time.

We can leverage predictive capabilities to analyse crew health patterns, providing early warnings for potential risks. By deidentifying data and incorporating insights into physical health, Riverr supports personalised, early interventions that protect seafarers’ health and well-being.

This predictive approach enables early identification of potential conditions, like high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, etc., and by addressing potential risks before they escalate, maritime healthcare is evolving into a proactive and data-driven field. Preventative healthcare improves both crew wellbeing and operational efficiency, reducing downtime from health emergencies.

Benefiting both the seafarer and the shipowner

Of course, with any technological software, there is the danger of misdiagnosis and errors that we must watch out for.

Our teams utilise different tools to try to prevent these instances. For example, we have rigorous training in place where healthcare providers utilising this platform undergo specialised training to interpret AI-driven insights.

We also carry out continuous audits through our PEME programme, with regular evaluations to ensure consistent quality and reliability. Where we are with AI currently is that we use it to support medical professionals instead of replacing them, so decisions will always be reviewed by experts and challenged where necessary.

If our new enhanced PEMEs do pick up any red flags or potential conditions, the process puts the health and safety of the seafarer first while ensuring operational requirements are met. Several measures are then carried out to ensure this. The crew member will undergo further evaluation – a PEME review for a second option. The flagged condition is subjected to additional assessments to confirm the diagnosis and its potential impact on the individual’s

ability to perform their duties. Where a seafarer has a manageable condition, we can provide a health plan to monitor and manage the condition while on board. If it is treatable and needs further shore-side attention, the seafarer is provided with personalised care recommendations to address the issue prior to deployment, ensuring their long-term health and readiness for duty. And then, following treatment, the seafarer undergoes a follow-up evaluation to confirm their fitness for duty.

At OneCare, we provide recommendations and second opinions aimed at maintaining the best possible health conditions for the seafarer. This proactive approach benefits both the seafarer and the shipowner by reducing the risk of preventable medical cases, which, based on OCG’s data, account for up to 25% of onboard incidents. This is a significant amount and shows just how much providing predictive healthcare can help reduce sickness aboard, crew shortages, and incidents that could affect a vessel’s operations. Shipowners and managers are saving money by investing in their crews’

health before they even step on board. While the final decision regarding the seafarer’s appointment ultimately rests with the ship manager/owner, it’s important to note that just because a condition is flagged up, it does not mean that the person is unable to start working on the vessel. It acts as an advisory and preventative measure that, if left untreated and unrecognised, may well end up causing further issues for the seafarers or owner or manager further down the line. A lot of the conditions flagged are easily treatable and kept in check while they are on board.

Ongoing development

As AI further develops and we learn more about it, we anticipate our platform with Riverr will expand with more capabilities.

We hope we’ll be able to have greater accuracy in forecasting health risks, enabling personalised health interventions; integration with wearable devices for continuous data analysis and immediate response to anomalies; enhanced AI diagnostics integrated with virtual consultations to improve access to care; and tools to detect early signs of mental health challenges, offering timely support. This ongoing development will strengthen our ability to deliver holistic, forward-thinking healthcare solutions for maritime workers. This move towards preventative healthcare can only benefit our crews and the sustainability of shipping in the future. We can attract more people into the industry with better healthcare and fewer roadblocks when it comes to the ongoing operations of vessels. ‚

The OneCare Group is an enduring global entity that strives to improve seafarers’ health, well-being & e-learning through a strong network of specialists who are committed towards this aspiration. Among others, we offer an integrated global remote medical advisory management solution aiming to improve seafarers’ health and well-being through direct 24/7 access to medical expertise, while ensuring financial and operational efficiencies for shipowners & managers. Visit onecaregroup.global to discover more.

Photo: Canva

Training as an enabler

by Alexa Ivy

The future won’t handle itself, so to speak. Alternative fuels are akin to conventional bunkers in that they need to be handled – properly and safely. To do so, seafarers have to gain new skills, as the old way of doing things isn’t transferable to taking care of new-to-maritime energy molecules. We are talking with Raal Harris about how to start training for alternative fuels, the biggest challenges (and one false friend) here, the changing learning landscape, and what it will mean to be a seafarer of the future. We are also putting the spotlight on the wider societal benefits of transitioning to green bunkers, something that might help attract new talent to the fit-for-green-future shipping pool.

‚ As the world looks to reduce its dependency on heavy bunker fuels in favour of cleaner new ones such as LNG, ammonia, hydrogen, and methanol, how prepared is the global maritime workforce for working with these new fuels?

We have a pool of 1.8 million seafarers trained to work with heavy-fuel oil ships. That is the reality of the global fleet, where there are currently relatively few vessels using alternative fuels. Those seafarers learn about working on heavy fuel oil vessels in their basic training, whether they’re engineers or navigators. As such, the global workforce at the moment is not prepared for alternative fuels – and it will take a great deal of effort and time to transition them to a multi-fuel future.

The good news is that we still have time, but that window is closing. We look at the order book and the vessels that are coming along, and we know what needs to happen by 2030 and certainly by the middle of the century.

‚ What are some of the biggest challenges in preparing seafarers for alternative fuels?

The first big one involves setting training standards, while the second is the provision of education at scale. We need standards for working with these fuels; that’s one of the foundational things before training can even happen. The Maritime Just Transition Task Force recently published a standards framework for ammonia, hydrogen, and methanol, so that’s a start. LNG is in

a different place because it has been used as fuel for quite a long while: developed training standards and course curriculums are already there. That is one reason why LNG is potentially both an attractive fuel from a transition point of view and also a bit of a blueprint for how we approach other fuels. Since the majority of maritime education and training (METI) is face-to-face, not having enough people to teach these subjects is another big challenge that we foresee, and we have seen that with LNG already. There just aren’t enough people who’ve worked with alternative fuels that are available to the METI community. That is why the old model of the seafarer of yesterday training the seafarer of tomorrow is coming under such strain. An additional factor is that once people have experience working with cutting-edge green fuels, they will have capital that will make them attractive beyond maritime. These are fast becoming premium knowledge areas, and we may find that it is difficult to compete.

‚ In what ways has it been helpful for seafarers to have worked with LNG or ammonia as cargo? Will that help them transition to working on vessels where that’s the fuel?

There is a misconception there. In language teaching, we would call it a false friend. There are huge differences. Cargo tanks are not working spaces, whereas an engine room is one. You are bringing highly toxic fuel into a working space where people are doing their job as opposed to an isolated cargo situation. Interview

‚ What is the process of beginning to create an infrastructure for training seafarers to work with alternative fuels?

You start with a needs analysis, meaning what is it that people need to understand to be able to work safely with this fuel? That leads you through to what standards the training has to cover, which then indicates the curriculum. From that point, you can think about how you will be delivering the course: at a training college or through e-learning, for example. You also need simulators to be made for the different types of fuel. Also, there needs to be agreement around requirements for how much sea time is needed working on specific vessels and particular operations to achieve certifications. Implementing the process can become logistically very difficult.

‚ How long will it take for a seafarer to feel confident working with an alternative fuel?

Anything with complexity takes quite a while, and it’s certainly hard to gauge confidence, but there are interesting studies around how seafarers are feeling about new fuels. On the plus side, they feel like pioneers of a new decarbonised future. However, on the negative side, seafarers find themselves in the role of lab guinea pigs.

It is important to be transparent about what we know and what we don’t know – and how we arrive at control measures. The longer the new vessels are in operation, and we start seeing that safety measures work, then that in itself is helpful, but we need to be transparent. Seafarers will feel confident if they see safety measures working.

‚ How is the advent of new fuels affecting worries about the crewing talent pipeline?

The new fuels are complicating this issue because it is going to be hard to train people and get them up to speed in the right timeframe. It will potentially fragment who can work where. There is room for optimism, though. Maritime can offer an exciting story for young people who often have environmental concerns foremost on their minds. Think about the fact that in some of the big countries that supply seafarers, like the Philippines and India, there is genuine concern about climate change among the young people there. The idea that maritime is becoming a greener industry is compelling. It is also an industry that is powering the transition because green fuels will need to be moved around the world. Shipping will have a very big part to play, and telling that story might encourage young people to come into the maritime industry.

‚ Various studies show that as much as 90% of all incidents can be traced back to human error. What tools are available to help vessel operators enhance crew competence across their fleets?

I think we need to look at the overall human element rather than just human errors. I like that organisations, such as the Oil Companies International Marine Forum, have moved to use the term “human factors” over “human element.” It is a subtle distinction that comes from appreciating there are things that affect the human ability to make good decisions and to do things well. So, the processes and ergonomics of how working spaces are designed come into play. Where these factors cannot be improved, they need to be mitigated. Competency management

helps address this by trying to codify the key proficiencies a crew needs to undertake certain roles – and then looking at how to map those skills and consistently evaluate them. It is super helpful that the behavioural dimension is being added to competency management. It is not just about technical knowledge but also about building skills around communication and leadership and, likewise, how they contribute to the mix.

The other thing that’s happening is capturing more of what’s going on by using data and then mapping data points to be able to see specific performance elements. It is interesting to look at near misses, for example. We can look at some patterns that are emerging and see where we might need to strengthen knowledge and core skills.

‚ What trends surrounding training are you seeing in the maritime industry, and which do you hope will have staying power?

OTG has quite a large percentage of the global fleet, and we can see what training people are prioritising; they do clearly indicate that soft skills training is on the rise. There is also an emphasis on making training as accessible as possible and using dead time, for example, when seafarers are transiting in airports. We see that happening with the use of our mobile app, where seafarers can download content onto their phones and come back to it later, even if they don’t have connectivity. Instead of having to go into a training centre and sacrifice time at home with family, they can access the training digitally wherever they are, and the records can be centrally collated.

‚ What is the most important quality for a seafarer entering the industry today, from your viewpoint?

Resilience may be an overused word, but it’s the quality that really comes to the fore. Seafarers have always been incredibly resilient people, able to withstand privations that a lot of us wouldn’t. They have always been adventurous, too.

I think what we will see coming through in the seafarer of the future is critical thinking, problem-solving, and a willingness to take responsibility for their own education and training throughout their career. They are already able to source information on their own, and we see that in our OTG training library. For them to take a proactive approach and take responsibility for their training, we need them to believe that training is an enabler to being a better professional and can help them further their career.

Looking at a multi-fuel future, seafarers will continue to become more and more employable with each bit of additional learning they pursue. ‚

As Chief Creative Officer of Ocean Technologies Group and OneOcean, Raal Harr is is dedicated to creating innovative digital solutions for the maritime industry, including training programmes, competency management systems, and human capital management solutions. His extensive maritime background includes 15 years producing maritime e-learning content and software solutions at Videotel and university lectureships in the design of interaction, information product, and computer games. An active participant in the maritime industry, Harris was recently elected Vice President of InterManager, the international association for the ship management sector.

A new maritime platform redefines connectivity

All good in The Hood

by Alexa Ivy

The Hood Platform, a novel digital hub for people in the maritime and energy sectors, made its debut at Crew Connect in Manila in November 2024, winning acclaim. More than just a typical social platform, it’s a dynamic space for online interaction that caters to the unique needs of people within the maritime industry. Creating social network communities and redefining professional advancement, The Hood combines career development with learning and well-being features. The app’s launch marks a significant step in providing a secure space for seafarer connectivity, professional evolution, and, equally important – their mental health.

The Hood’s Limassol-based Founder and Managing Director, Josephine Le, envisioned the app after years of working closely alongside maritime professionals. Her goal was simple: to bridge the social gap she noticed amongst professionals within the industry and to make it much easier for them to access the necessary information that once seemed impossible. By using The Hood, individuals can communicate more effectively, wherever they are, from one user-friendly interface.

“When I first started in the industry, it was evident that people wanted to connect but weren’t sure where to begin,” says Le. “I wanted to create a platform that not only brings people together but makes it much easier for them to find relevant information while also feeling seen and heard, creating meaningful relationships for both work and more personal life.”

She went on to explain that the idea stemmed from observing how many people struggled with finding the right balance between professional networking and genuine connection. “It is not just about building a network; it’s about creating a community where people feel supported, valued, and empowered to grow, not just in their careers, but as individuals too.”

The creative focus to deliver something impactful came from Le’s commitment to understanding the unique challenges faced by the maritime community. Through her deep understanding of the needs of seafarers, recruiters, and other industry professionals, she was able to ensure that The Hood would meet every one of its users’ requirements.

To support & connect

The Hood alleviates some challenges that are commonly seen within the maritime industry. Crews often face long periods of

isolation, limited access to resources, and a lack of opportunities to engage with others who understand their experiences. By providing tailored features – such as an easyto-navigate introduction tool, time-zone adaptability, and job application tools – The Hood helps to bridge these gaps in ways that typical platforms don’t.

Users can build profiles that display their expertise and professional experience, apply for new jobs easily, and connect with old colleagues, family and friends. They can build personal and professional profiles, enabling them to keep different interactions separate. Beyond networking, The Hood also includes other features, like the We Care Centre, providing access to mental health support. Its range of resources and e-learning tools means users can enhance their professional skills. In February 2025, a new Career Hub was added to the platform, marking another important milestone. This feature helps to navigate professional growth and stay up to date with the latest career opportunities. From seasoned marine engineers and ship managers to cadets first starting their seafaring journeys, The Hood is there to support and connect them, no matter their role or level of experience.

What sets The Hood apart from mainstream platforms is its commitment to creating an online environment specifically dedicated to the maritime sector. Features have been carefully curated to meet the needs of a global and culturally diverse workforce that operates across multiple time zones, often under challenging and varying circumstances. With ongoing safety concerns, connectivity issues, and a general lack of mental health support for crews in particular, the need to feel connected is more crucial now than ever before.

Users can create groups dedicated to niche topics and professions, including maritime regulations, sustainability, or advice on a particular field, encouraging conversations and creating a plethora of sub-communities. “This is more than just a tool to help individuals find a job or post something new to their status,” Le underscores. “It is a space where people can truly connect with one another on their own terms, wherever they are in the world, no matter their role, experience, or connection to the industry.”

Whilst the launch of The Hood is already generating excitement across the board, it’s only an inkling of what is to come. The platform is designed with evolution in mind, ensuring that it will meet the progressing needs of its global users. These include enhanced connectivity, seamless integration, and a collective sense of resilience against possible industry disruptions.

What is more, it’s already making waves in attracting young talent into the maritime sector. By making the industry more appealing and inclusive, the platform resonates with the values and aspirations of the next generation. With its innovative approach, it’s addressing the need to modernise and revitalise the sector through positive change. The Hood is creating communities and transforming how people engage in maritime.

One large family

As the industry braces for old & new challenges in 2025 and beyond, The Hood is set to play an essential role in shaping its future. Through innovation, the platform creates a space where maritime professionals can access the support, resources, and connections needed to thrive in a digital world. The long hours at sea, often spent away from loved ones, have highlighted the need for stronger personal connections

and a growing awareness of the importance of creating environments that support and nurture mental health and overall well-being.

The Hood has introduced monthly giveaways to reward its members, which highlights the platform’s focus on building community and offering value to users. This initiative kicked off with the Christmas Giveaway in December last year, where members could enter to win a one-night stay for two, bed-and-breakfast included, at the renowned Seda Hotel in Manila. Prizes are earned through engagement with the

platform, encouraging participation and connection. Regular giveaways are just one way that The Hood fosters a sense of excitement and community, with more stimulating rewards set to follow.

Drawing from endearing familial terms such as ‘brotherhood’ and ‘motherhood,’ the platform creates a sense of unity and belonging that goes beyond typical networking. “This is more than just a platform,” Le explains, “it’s a community that is designed to connect people in an environment where they feel supported and understood. Much like being part of one large family.” ‚

The Hood Platform, masterminded by Josephine Le, is an innovative digital hub for the maritime and energy sectors, providing a community-driven social network tailored to the unique needs of industry professionals. Designed to foster connection, career growth, and support, The Hood combines professional networking features with sector-specific tools. You can download it from the App Store or Google Play

Photos: The Hood

Tackling a growing cyber security threat in an increasingly connected industry

Unlikely to ease off any time soon

by Svante Einarsson, Head of Cyber Security Advisory EMEA, APAC & Maritime, DNV

As shipping continues to embrace digitalization, the threat of cyber attacks has never been higher. Stakeholders across the maritime industry are making moves to protect their assets, but DNV experts warn that many are underestimating the scale of the threat and should take extra steps to protect their assets.

The digitalization of the maritime industry is in full flow. Shipowners, ports, cargo owners, and many other stakeholders throughout the value chain are increasingly utilizing connected digital technologies to make shipping greener, safer, and more efficient. However, DNV’s new report, Maritime Cyber Priority 2024/25: Managing cyber risk to enable innovation, highlights that this also introduces new cyber security risks, which need to be managed to enable decarbonization, improve the efficiency of operation, and protect human life and the environment.

Building on insights from the first edition of this publication in 2023, DNV’s latest release explores changing attitudes and approaches to cyber security in the maritime sector. The research is largely based on a survey of almost 500 maritime professionals, with even deeper insights harvested through in-depth interviews with experts from Wärtsilä, Seatrium, and DNV. The survey included a wide range of cyber security expertise, from professionals in the field to shipbuilders, offshore operators, and transport specialists. Survey respondents came from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas.

The greatest risk

The survey highlighted several key issues in maritime cyber security. Notably, cyber attacks are rising rapidly. About 31% of maritime professionals reported at least one such incident in the 12 months leading up to October 2024, up from 17% over the previous five years.

This increasing cyber threat is causing concern at the highest levels of the maritime industry. Seven in 10 (71%) of those surveyed believe their organizations’ industrial assets are more vulnerable to cyber attacks than ever before, while the same proportion (71%) say the leaders of their organizations consider cyber security to be the greatest risk their business faces.

This heightened awareness has led to increased levels of preparedness, and investment in cyber security has grown significantly

over the past year. Almost three-quarters of maritime professionals (73%) report that their organization is increasing cyber security spending compared to last year.

Accept the risk

The increasing digitalization of the maritime industry is unlocking a range of new opportunities, helping to drive decarbonization efforts. Survey respondents point to advanced data analytics, the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, high-bandwidth satellite communications, and autonomous operations as presenting the greatest opportunities for their businesses in the coming years. However, this is also creating more opportunities for cyber criminals.

While increased digitalization and connectivity make shipping companies more vulnerable to cyber attacks, this is unlikely to be a reason for them to slow down. In fact, the majority (61%) of maritime professionals believe the industry should accept increased cyber risk from digitalization if it enables innovation and new technologies, a figure that is notably higher than other critical infrastructure industries, like energy and healthcare. This number was even higher (64%) for maritime executives.

Security by design

As digital innovation continues, the need for strong cyber security grows. Experts recommend involving cyber security professionals early in newbuild projects to integrate new technology safely. However, this practice is not yet widespread, causing issues at a later stage. Failing to incorporate cyber security into the early stage of new projects and initiatives leaves the industry scrambling to address the problem later on. Retrofitting security measures is also more time-consuming and costly than embracing security by design.

One of the key recommendations of the Maritime Cyber Priority 2024/25 report is for maritime companies to see cyber security

as an enabler of innovation instead of an obstruction, providing a framework of security when stepping into the digital future.

The overconfidence and under-preparedness trap

There are clear signs that awareness around cyber security is on the rise, and this is largely being matched by increased investment. That said, success is not guaranteed. The widespread failure to integrate cyber security into processes shows that the industry’s confidence in managing risk might be overestimated. While many organizations might feel like an increased allocation of resources makes them more prepared, the complexity of the risk and the sophistication of adversaries complicate the picture significantly.

Many organizations may not even be at the initial ‘detection’ stage of readiness when it comes to recovering from a cyber incident. Our experience is that maritime organizations are not as ready to detect or handle one within the operational technology domain as they might think. This is backed up by some worrying findings from the survey: while more than eight in 10 (85%) say their organization has a good cyber security posture, 76% say that the cyber security training that their organization provides is not advanced enough to protect against sophisticated threats.

Notwithstanding the above, all maritime companies can attain a greater cyber security posture by building cyber security resilience into their company culture. Many in the industry see cyber incidents as a problem for their cyber security team to resolve, but this underestimates the seriousness of the threat, particularly considering the safety implications of infrastructure that is disabled or malfunctioning. This also excludes professionals who could make a significant contribution to overall resilience. Critical professionals such as ships’ masters and chief engineers, as well as the broader crew, are invaluable to cyber defence. However, they need training and support to fully utilize their skills and experience.

Creating a more vigilant cyber security posture requires training that is sophisticated and in line with the latest threat levels. Even if this is achieved, this is not

a challenge that remains ‘fixed.’ Cyber security is turning into an arms race as adversaries improve their capabilities when they encounter an obstruction. This means that

the sophistication of their methods might outstrip their targets’ ability to respond.

Aside from ensuring that training stays ahead of the curve, this also means that companies need to ensure that their cyber technology outpaces adversaries. Bad actors are already using tools like AI to their benefit, so maritime companies should also be investigating how they can utilize this to create stronger cyber security defences.

Go above and beyond

In addition to advocating enhanced training and culture, an acceleration of technological capability, and the importance of reimagining cyber security as an enabler of innovation, DNV’s Cyber Priority 2024/25 report lists some other key recommendations to the shipping industry for a stronger cyber security posture.

Top of the list is boosting collaboration and transparency across the supply chain. Only 53% of those surveyed are confident their organization can demonstrate full visibility of their supply chain. We strongly recommend all stakeholders demand more insights and visibility from suppliers. This will be supported by IACS UR E27 for safety-critical systems on board newbuilds. However, for other systems and vessels in operation, this needs to come as a demand from shipowners and vessel managers as part of their cyber risk management.

The report also highlights the need to exchange information and best practices throughout the industry, including sharing details of critical incidents, attacks, and near misses. Sharing knowledge and skills will help to address the knowledge gaps that so many organizations say obstruct compliance and their overall readiness.

Finally, while maritime companies are encouraged to keep up with regulations, they should not equate this with protection from cyber attacks. Stakeholders should be seeking to go even further than compliance. In doing so, they will strengthen the resilience of their businesses and build trust among their partners.

The cyber threat is unlikely to ease off any time soon. According to the report, 37% of maritime professionals expect to face more cyber attacks in the next 12 months compared to the last 12. Understanding this risk and embracing the means of containing it will help shipping companies maintain their course of digital innovation, providing the framework for the future success of the maritime industry.

DNV is the world’s leading classification society and a recognized advisor for the maritime industry. We enhance safety, quality, energy efficiency and environmental performance of the global shipping industry – across all vessel types and offshore structures. We invest heavily in research and development to find solutions, together with the industry, that address strategic, operational, or regulatory challenges. Visit dnv.com/maritime for more information.

Introducing the International Association for Port Development

Integration and strengthening

by Yolanda Batista Ventura

The autumn of 2024 saw the birth of a new organisation tasked with levelling up the port industry, especially in the areas of innovation, integration, and sustainability. The International Association for Port Development (IAPORTS) intends to create strategic initiatives that promote the development and competitiveness of maritime and inland infrastructure. IAPORTS will focus on strengthening collaboration among port supply chain stakeholders, as well as on promoting investment, innovation and operational excellence.

IAPORTS is an international organisation seated at the Santos Trade Association, tasked with transforming the port sector through knowledge exchange, leadership development, and the establishment of pivotal agendas to enhance global competitiveness.

The new hub for innovation and development is supported by public and private institutions from the port sector (chiefly from Brazil, but the long-term aim is to onboard partners from other corners of the globe, too). With a focus on strengthening the port network, IAPORTS promotes international events, encourages dialogue among stakeholders, and works on building policies and guidelines that foster sustainability and sectoral growth.

“The creation of the Association represents a significant step towards the

integration and strengthening of the port community,” underscored Francisco Martins, Chairman of the IAPORTS’ Board of Directors and CEO of PortosRio.

The pillars of port development

IAPORTS’ mission is clear: to drive sustainable development and operational excellence in ports, connecting its Members to global best practices and investment opportunities. The Association works to turn challenges into opportunities based on three pillars. First, global competitiveness: development of strategies that position ports as key players in international trade. Second, international positioning: participation in events and cooperation with global organisations to strengthen the presence of associated ports in the

world’s arena. Third, leadership development: offering educational programmes and professional exchanges to train fitfor-future port leaders. Additionally, IAPORTS plays an active role in mediating business between its Members, representing their interests nationally and internationally, and promoting sustainability as a strategic pillar for the future of the sector.

The Association is open to a wide range of organisations involved in the port supply chain, including academic institutions and specialised consultancies, port equipment manufacturers, financial institutions and infrastructure investment funds, government agencies and law firms specialising in the sector, maritime and inland port authorities, terminal operators, shipping and

technology companies focused on port solutions, trade associations, as well as other entities that hold dear the development of the worldwide transport sector. This strong support base will ensure that IAPORTS has a broad and representative reach, fostering synergies and strengthening the port industry as a whole.

IAPORTS Members enjoy a widereaching array of strategic benefits across five pillars. In Competitiveness and Investments, they gain access to port investment rounds, exclusive networking with investors, and participation in premium in-person and virtual events. International Business facilitates strategic connections through networking sessions and inclusion in the Member Catalogue to foster partnerships. Regulatory Affairs ensures active involvement in key committees such as Net Zero, Innovation and Investments, along with representation in international organisations advocating for sector interests. Additionally, International

Positioning grants Members access to a global port events calendar, participation in LATAM EXPORT and other international initiatives, and marketing exposure through the Association’s channels. The Port Education Radar offers insights into global training opportunities, plus access to exchange programmes and international professional residencies. With these benefits, IAPORTS wants to position its Members at the forefront of industry innovation, networking, and professional development.

The invitation is open!

The port sector is constantly evolving, and IAPORTS emerges as a key player in connecting strategic actors, fostering

innovation, and strengthening the position of its ports in global trade. The Association positions itself as a facilitator of opportunities, offering its Members an environment conducive to business, learning, and growth.

With an ambitious proposal and a strategic support network, IAPORTS establishes itself as a fundamental pillar for the sustainable growth of the port sector. Whether through innovation, internationalisation, or leadership development, the Association provides a structured path for ports and companies in the sector to reach a new level of competitiveness. The invitation is open: IAPORTS is ready to transform the port sector – and your company can be part of this journey! ‚

IAPORTS was founded in September 2024 by the Brazilian port sector, including Portos do Paraná, ABEPH (Brazilian Association of Ports and Waterways), Santos Commercial Association, Santos Port Authority, PortosRio, Suape’s Industrial Port Complex, Porto do Itaqui (EMAP), 4-Infra, and Sterna International Business. It also includes institutional observers, such as CODEBA (Bahia State Dock Company) and CODERN (Rio Grande do Norte Dock Company). Visit iaports.com to learn more.

Photo: Canva

Baltic transport 2024 highlights

by Przemysław Myszka

The past year brought about another healthy portion of green transport & logistics news from across the Baltic Sea region, with developments & bold plans (and one major country blockage) within the offshore wind energy sector (including auxiliary propulsion). A lot also happened on the future fuels front (something the first month of 2025 also pronounced), as well as concerning the setup of green corridors, embracing electrification (on- and offshore, including cold ironing), and carbon capture (here, too, on land & sea). There were a few major events in ‘traditional’ port development, plus even more in shipping, with especially Swedish shipowners welcoming to the Baltic a not insignificant number of newbuilds.

The past year kicked off in the field of offshore wind energy (OWE) with news that Finland’s first farm will get stronger. To that end, Suomen Hyötytuuli obtained the building and water permits for adding new turbines to the 42-megawatt, 2017-commissioned Tahkoluoto farm off the coast of Pori. The so-called demonstration project, supported by NextGenerationEU funding, will see the addition of two at least 15MW strong turbines (the current ones, 11, have a capacity of 2.3-4.2MW). The project aims to demonstrate the construction of newscale offshore wind turbines, likewise testing foundations capable of withstanding harsh sea conditions (Tahkoluoto is the world’s first OWE farm erected in freezing waters). The entire expansion project assumes placing 40 new 15-20MW turbines, thus increasing the farm’s capacity by 600-800MW by 2027-29. “These are the first permits granted to offshore wind turbines of this size in Finland. When applying for permits for Suomen Hyötytuuli, it was important to ensure that the plans comprehensively took into account the understanding of the marine nature of the area and became more detailed during the environmental impact assessment and zoning,” said Juho Lappalainen, Project Development

Manager responsible for the Tahkoluoto OWE farm expansion. Then again, things got blurry at the beginning of 2025 when Tahkoluoto Offshore said the extension would proceed without the two 15MW wind turbines demo. This phase secured €30 million from Finland’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, but delivery schedule changes meant the grant’s conditions could no longer be met. “Cost pressures and uncertainty over property taxation made the risks too high,” commented Toni Sulameri, Managing Director of Tahkoluoto Offshore. However, the extension project as a whole remains on track (supposedly). The investment decision is expected before end-2026.

In the meantime, the City of Pori –together with the Port of Pori , the cityowned company Suisto Kiinteistöt , as well as Suomen Hyötytuuli , Enersense , and the Dutch logistics service provider Olmar – are working on setting up an international hub for expertise and operations based on offshore wind power. The competence hub will be located on a 50-hectare plot in the Port of Pori’s Mäntyluoto Harbour. In the initial phase, the area will be used for pre-installation services, assembly, and storage of OWE

turbines. “There are several significant offshore wind power investments planned for the Gulf of Bothnia. Our goal is to build a competence hub that serves wind power projects in the region, both in Finland and Sweden. We already have one offshore wind park in operation, giving us a head start compared to competitors. We aim to develop Pori as a pioneer in clean energy solutions,” highlighted Lauri Kilkku , the City of Pori’s Deputy Mayor. Seppo Ihalainen , heading the Pori Offshore Wind Hub project, also underscored, “The principles in green transition projects are similar to those in developing digital infrastructure. Expertise is crucial, and it is necessary to build strong ecosystems. Wind power expertise and port development provide a solid foundation for industrial investments related to solar power and green hydrogen production.” Enersense is already constructing technically demanding foundations for OWE turbines in Mäntyluoto. Suomen Hyötytuuli and the Port of Pori agreed to build a gravel loading dock at the Tahkoluoto Harbour to serve the construction of wind turbine foundations.

In mid-January 2025, the City of Pori, the Port of Pori, and Tahkoluoto Offshore

Wind

signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on the development of the Pori Offshore Wind Hub. The collaboration sets to define the role of the Hub as the primary logistics and pre-installation base for the Tahkoluoto Offshore Wind Farm Extension project. To that end, the memorandum provides a two-year time-frame for implementing the necessary infrastructural investments in the port area. According to the Confederation of Finnish Industries, the total value of planned OWE investments in Finland exceeds €42 billion (data for January 2024). Within a radius of 400 kilometres from Pori, 15 larger OWE projects have been announced.

In mid-January 2024, Vestas announced it intends to invest in a second OWE factory in Szczecin – for producing blades for the V236.15.0MW wind energy turbine model. The facility, which could come online in 2026, will be located on a site acquired by Vestas in February 2023 and situated near an island where the company will have its nacelle assembly factory (expected to start operating this year). “Vestas intends to lead the development of a sustainable supply chain in Europe that can deliver the scale needed to meet the expected growth in demand for offshore wind. Our plans for two new offshore factories in Poland underline that Europe can spur wind industry investments and green jobs with the right long-term policy commitments

for offshore wind projects,” commented Tommy Rahbek Nielsen , Vestas’ COO.

Towards the month’s end, and Windar Renovables signed & sealed its deal for a factory in Szczecin . The Spaniards and the Port of Szczecin-Świnoujście ratified the October 2023-signed preliminary land concession agreement. The company will now establish an OWE tower production centre in the Port of Szczecin. The factory (four assembly lines) and its storage area will occupy 17 ha. The towers produced by Windar in Szczecin will be designed to support the new generation turbines with 20MW of installed capacity. In late December 2024, the company contracted

PORR for carrying out the construction works, a task that will take a year and a half. The €70 million factory investment will provide some 400 jobs.

In late January 2024, the Port of Hirtshals initiated a dialogue-based tender to erect up to nine additional turbines at its premises. These could come online in 2027, joining the existing four units (4.2MW; Denmark’s first set up on commercial terms – in 2019). The new turbines will be from 150 to 180 or 200-metre-tall (nine, six, and four pieces, respectively), producing 169/174/135MWh/year. The energy from the existing and future wind turbines will be used for power-to-x purposes. “Hirtshals

Photo: Oldendorff Carriers

Photo: Port of Hirtshals

is perhaps the first port in the world to require that the electricity generated by its wind turbines be used to produce the green fuels of the future,” the Danish seaport underlined in a press brief. Per Holm Nørgaard, the seaport’s CEO, added, “There is no doubt that Hirtshals is an attractive area for wind turbines. Hirtshals is one of the windiest places in Denmark, and we expect great interest from investors. We see very good opportunities for establishing production of, for example, methanol and hydrogen at the port, and we are currently working on the planning of a major port expansion, which will include the establishment of a new large commercial area with space for even more companies working with the green solutions of the future.”

In February last year, the Port of Szczecin-Świnoujście joined the Offshore Wind Port Alliance, an organisation that aims to cooperate to provide sufficient handling & storage capacity for Europe’s offshore wind energy industry. “The current geopolitical situation in Europe and the ongoing green transition requires that more turbines are installed – preferably quickly to help build security regarding Europe’s energy supply. That is why the ports are strengthening the collaboration at the operational and practical level,” the Alliance underlined in a press brief. “Wind turbines require a lot of space at the ports, so lack of space is a specific challenge the ports are working to solve together. If one port only has space for half a project, another port may have space for the other half. In this way, the offshore wind farm can be built as scheduled and the client

will not have to wait for space at one specific port,” the organisation added. The Offshore Wind Port Alliance was founded by the ports of Cuxhaven (Niedersachsen Ports), Eemshaven (Groningen Seaports), Esbjerg, Humber (Associated British Ports), Nantes Saint-Nazaire, and Oostende

Also in February, Van Oord ’s trailing suction hopper dredger Vox Amalia arrived at the Paldiski South Harbour, where the Port of Tallinn is erecting a dock to serve the OWE industry. Vox Amalia’s job is to supply approximately 830 thousand cubic metres of sand to create 10 hectares of land for the quay (expected to become operational this year). The sand is dredged from a borrow area on the northern coast of Hiiumaa , about 125 kilometres from the port.

Before February’s end, OX2, a developer of renewable energy, and the Port of Vaasa signed a letter of intent concerning the construction, operations, and maintenance of the Tyrsky OWE farm. The partnership follows a similar one between the two around the Laine OWE farm. Tyrsky will be located 30 kilometres off Kaskinen, comprising 95 turbines generating 6.0TWh/year (around 8% of Finland’s electricity demand in 2023). Laine, situated 32 km off Pietarsaari, will have 150 turbines (11TWh/year). The company also works on a third OWE project in the Bothnian Bay: Halla (35 km off Raahe, 160 turbines, 12TWh/year). OX2 signed similar agreements with other Finnish seaports: Kaskinen, Kokkola, Pietarsaari, and Raahe. Mathias Skog, OX2’s Tyrsky Project Leader, commented, “Ports are essential partners for the development of offshore wind energy, and

their infrastructure plays a vital role in carrying out projects. The letter of intent gives way to a more open discussion not only concerning the needs and plans for offshore wind energy farms but also about the port’s role and its development needs.”

In early March, the Polish Development Fund (PFR), a 30% shareholder in Baltic Hub, shared its plans of spending PLN500 million (€116 million) on setting up a dedicated OWE installation & maintenance quay in the Port of Gdańsk . The 21-hectare investment, planned for completion in 2026, will comprise two 17.5-metre deep berths as part of Baltic Hub: 451 metres for installation and 349 metres for maintenance purposes. Additionally, the terminal will include a ro-ro berth.

In March as well, Thyborøn-Harboøre Vindmøllelaug I/S af 2002 invested in Vestas ’ most-powerful wind turbine of the V236-15.0MW model. The delivery, to the waterfront in the Port of Thyborøn , was planned to begin in Q1 2024, with commissioning scheduled for completion in the following quarter. The order also included a 20-year AOM4000 service agreement as well as testing and verification of the turbine’s operations by the manufacturer. Jens Jørgen Birch , the investor’s spokesperson, highlighted, “We are very pleased to install the new V23615.0MW turbine at a site in Thyborøn that offers great wind conditions for optimal energy production. Nearly 2,800 local shareholders have financed the turbine, and we look forward to showcase it to locals and tourists as we expect it to become an attraction.” Nils de Baar, President of Vestas Northern and Central Europe , added, “We are very pleased with the effective collaboration with ThyborønHarboøre Vindmøllelaug for this turbine that will help us in our final verification campaign before we begin serial production and installation of the first offshore projects featuring the V236-15.0MW turbine. The 264 days approval process from the municipality has been extremely quick while the local support from the citizens in Thyborøn has been overwhelmingly positive. Therefore, this is a great international example of how a combination of quick permitting and local engagement can support the green transition.”

A prototype of the V236-15.0MW model was earlier installed at the Østerild Wind Turbine Test Field (managed by the DTU Risø Campus of the Technical University of Denmark). Vestas’ at-that-time order book for the V236-15.0MW included offshore projects in Germany, Poland, and

Photo: Port of Kaskinen

the Netherlands. The first turbines are expected to be installed this year.

Still in March 2024, Van Oord signed an agreement with the Liepāja Special Economic Zone, following which it’d scrutinise the set up of an OWE support base and cargo terminal. Over the next two years, Van Oord will carry out the preparatory work, including research, business plan development, and technical design elaboration. If everything goes according to plan, construction could kick off in 2026, with the OWE support base coming online in mid-2027. Mark Bot, Project Manager at the Dutch company, commented, “Van Oord’s ambition is to act as the initiator in accelerating the transformation of the energy industry. This project is a strong example of how Van Oord can take on the role and ensure a positive impact on future generations.”

A few days later, the Port of Hanko and the Euroports Group partntered to establish a hub for the OWE supply chain at the former’s Koverhar Harbour Petteri Sammalisto , Commercial Director of Euroports Finland , underscored, “The letter of intent with the Port of Hanko enables us to expand our business in renewable energy. By creating a unique wind hub here, we’re not just addressing the immediate needs of the wind energy sector; we’re fostering a sustainable ecosystem that will serve the Baltic region and beyond.” The parties underlined that 600 hectares in the Koverhar Harbour are available for future industrial development, of which 90 are dedicated to direct port activities. The Finnish arm of Euroports highlighted in this regard, “The initiative

is looking beyond the logistical challenges. It aspires to cultivate an entire green ecosystem within its considerable back-land area. Euroports’ deep, long-standing experience as a terminal operator, associated with a strong track record in both the onshore and offshore wind industry, allows our teams to handle the full value chain, including freight forwarding through our subsidiary Manuport Logistics .”

In April 2024, the Vilnius Declaration was agreed on, with eight EU Baltic countries pledging closer collaboration to secure critical offshore energy infrastructure throughout the region, with a particular emphasis on wind. The said states will work across several fronts: increasing OWE capacity from today’s 3.1GW to 19.6 by 2030, decarbonising their energy systems, as well as phasing out Russian fossil fuels with competitive, ‘home-grown’ renewables. To those ends, the partners will develop a regional wind energy supply chain, including through investments in joint (hybrid) OWE farms, (meshed) grids, and port infrastructure.

In mid-May last year, Fred . Olsen Windcarrier ’s jack-up vessel Blue Tern erected the first turbine of Iberdrola and Masdar ’s JV 476MW Baltic Eagle OWE project. The investment was scheduled for completion by 2024’s end (after setting up 50 wind turbines of Vestas’ V1749.5MW model). The project was carried out from the German Baltic Mukran Port . Together with the already operational 350MW Wikinger and the planned 315MW Windanker OWE farms, Baltic Eagle forms Iberdrola’s 1.1GW Baltic Hub.

Also in May, the Port of Karlshamn and the energy company RWE signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at scrutinising the Swedish seaport’s role in serving future OWE farms in the Baltic. Specifically, the collaboration was to explore whether Karlshamn could be a suitable harbour for the logistics, installation, operational, and maintenance activities relating to RWE’s planned offshore wind projects in the Baltic Sea. In a first step, the partners would map the requirements and necessary build-outs and investments to facilitate the scaling-up of the port’s capacity. “Port capacity and a sustainable supply chain industry are key to the deployment of offshore wind projects. And a new offshore wind farm has the potential to transform a nearby harbour into a dynamic hub that catalyses significantly growth, infrastructure, jobs, and economic benefits for the region. That is why we are looking forward to collaborating with the Port of Karlshamn to evaluate their potential as a future offshore wind hub,” Matilda Machacek , Vice President of Offshore Development Nordics at RWE Offshore Wind , commented on the occasion. To this Anton Andersson , Project Lead at RWE Renewables Sweden, added, “Our Kårehamn Offshore Wind farm [48MW off the island of Öland commissioned in 2013] is a great example also for harbour development. It has been reliably generating green electricity for thousands of Swedish homes for more than a decade. Thanks to the wind farm, the old fishing harbour has been revitalised. Based on this success, RWE plans to build more offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea.” Caroline Säfström , the Port of Karlshamn’s CEO, underlined, “The Port of Karlshamn is proud that RWE, one of the world’s leading offshore wind companies, is supporting us in our plans to become a hub for offshore wind. With its natural deep harbour and large shipyard, the Port of Karlshamn is well positioned to meet the future needs of the offshore wind industry in the Baltic Sea. We recognise the demand for port capacity related to offshore wind energy, including after-sales services such as maintenance and operations centres. Expanding the port’s product portfolio in this direction is a natural step given our previous experience with wind energy projects and logistics.” She further underscored, “By establishing itself as a hub for offshore wind energy, the Port of Karlshamn is also creating employment opportunities for the region and promoting business opportunities for local companies and suppliers,

Photo: Maersk Tankers

thus contributing to the economic development of the area and strengthening the local economy.”

In June of 2024, a similar agreement was struck between RWE and Smålandshamnar to explore the development of the latter’s Port of Oskarshamn into a logistics, installation, loading, operations, and maintenance OWE base. “An early implementation of port capacity will ensure that Sweden is well placed to maximise the potential of the offshore wind industry. This collaboration demonstrates a clear commitment to sharing knowledge and expertise, thus supporting broader industrial growth in Sweden,” the energy company underlined in a press release.

Then in early November 2024, RWE , the Port of Karlshamn, and Smålandshamnar (plus OX2 , Eolus , Ørsted , Freja Offshore , Deep Wind Offshore , and Statkraft) must have been blinking at the Swedish cabinet’s announcement of cancelling 13 OWE projects (almost 32GW of capacity, some €47 billion of private investment) due to military defence concerns. “Yet again Sweden is bottom of the class on offshore wind. The Swedish Government has been unhelpful on offshore wind for many years. But a plain ban on offshore wind development in large parts of the Baltic Sea is unheard of. This makes no sense, not least when all the other countries around the Baltic Sea want to build more offshore wind and are progressing well on it,” fulminated at the Stockholm cabinet Giles Dickson , WindEurope ’s CEO. He went on by saying, “Sweden already

has an extremely cumbersome approach to offshore wind development and the Government has been unwilling to provide financial support to offshore wind for years. But after yesterday’s [4 November 2024] cancellations completely undermine investment security. Investors will now think twice before developing offshore wind in Sweden, particularly when neighbouring countries offer better and more reliable approaches to offshore wind development.” WindEurope furthered in a press brief, “The military in Sweden has been blocking offshore wind projects for years. This has been a major issue and the Government has not done enough to moderate this conflict. The seven other Governments around the Baltic Sea have chosen a totally different approach. They have established joint formats between the offshore wind industry and the military to enhance understanding and exchange and to develop solutions that work for both partners. Their militaries are embracing these collaborations.” Dickson warned, “European Governments mustn’t fall for the Russian intimidation and interference with energy policies. Offshore wind means more energy security and less dependence on Russian energy imports. Russia wants the EU’s successful transition to cheap and local renewables to fail. But let’s be clear: offshore wind can coexist happily with military activity.”

Meanwhile, at the beginning of June 2024, Baltic Towers , a co-op between the Polish Industrial Development Agency and the Spanish GRI Renewable

Industries , laid the foundation stone for the 150 OWE towers/year production plant on the Ostrów Island in Gdańsk . The factory, putting together towers for 15MW (and stronger) turbines, is expected to come online in Q2 2025. It will provide 500 highly specialised jobs.

In the middle of the month, Siemens Gamesa shared it’ll receive DKK162.2 million (around €27.4 million) from the Danish Green Investment Fund to expand its blade factory in the Port of Aalborg ’s East Harbour. The Aalborg City Council already completed the local development plan according to which Siemens Gamesa’s premises in the Danish seaport will grow by 400 thousand square metres for storing blades for the wind energy industry.

In late October 2024, Vattenfall and the Port of Kaskinen partnered to investigate the Finnish seaport’s suitability in the development of OWE projects of the Swedish multinational power company off Finland’s coast. “Signing this memorandum of understanding with the Port of Kaskinen is an important step for the Korsnäs project [1,400MW of capacity], as it outlines the potential collaboration between the project and the port. This includes the potential use of the port for the logistics and construction of the wind farm, as well as the operation and maintenance of the wind turbines,” highlighted Klaus Nissen , Project Director at Vattenfall. Patrik Hellman , the Port of Kaskinen’s CEO, added, “We are glad to be able to sign this MoU with Vattenfall. The Korsnäs wind farm is very close to Kaskinen and therefore we see it as a very important step to collaborate with Vattenfall. It will enable us to proceed with the planning for offshore wind farm projects in all directions with stakeholders and co-operatives. Such a project like Korsnäs will be a major positive impact for the region and the port and would create hundreds of new job opportunities.”

In early November 2024, MT Højgaard Danmark completed adding 100 thousand square metres of port areas that the Port of Rønne will use to execute OWE projects. “With the completion of stage 3, we have taken an important step in strengthening the supply to Bornholm, also ensuring that we can continue the growth of shipping of offshore wind from Bornholm by now being able to handle two simultaneous projects,” underscored the Port of Rønne’s Managing Director, Lars Nordahl . The Danish seaport also underlined in a press brief that MT Højgaard Danmark spent some DKK60 million

Photo: Van Oord

(€8.05 million) on local subcontractors as part of the construction project. Rønne’s other future-fitting plans include extending the seaport’s outer harbour, setting up a larger turning basin, erecting a new multi-purpose quay, and deepening the inner parts of the port.

Also that month, the government of Latvia approved a €64.5 million investment to develop 30 hectares within the Port of Riga’s Kundziņsala into a production hub for the (off- and onshore) wind energy industry. The port authority added that €40m of private, clean tech investments are expected by 2029.

The Helsinki-headquartered Norsepower, a manufacturer of auxiliary wind propulsion rotors, won a few new deals last year. First, in February, the Lübeck-based Oldendorff Carriers decided they’d retrofit their 2020-built post-Panamax bulk carrier Dietrich Oldendorff with three 24-metre-tall and 4.0-metre-in-diameter Rotor Sails of Norsepower. Fast forward to late November and the installation was done & dusted (alongside renaming the carrier as Chinook Oldendorff – as a homage to the natural wind patterns in the Pacific Northwest; the word “Chinook” originates from the First Nations people of the Pacific Northwest, referring to a type of wind with coastal and inland variations, with Chinook Oldendorff carrying Elk Valley Resources’ steel-making coal from the Port of Vancouver to customers across the Pacific Ocean). The three rotors are expected to reduce the vessel’s fuel consumption by about 10-15%. “The collaboration with Elk Valley Resources on this project exemplifies how partnerships can drive meaningful progress. Chinook Oldendorff reflects our commitment to deliver practical environment conscious solutions that align with our clients’ needs and our long-term sustainability goals,” commented Russ McNeil , Managing Director of Oldendorff Vancouver

Also in February of 2024, Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA), the French shipowner working on a fleet to be chartered by Airbus , will see these con-ros equipped with Norsepower ’s Rotor Sails. Each of the three dual-fuel (e-methanol) freighters will be outfitted with six 35-metre-tall sails. Additionally, LDA’s Rotor Sails will feature the brand-new patented Norsepower Sentient Control™, a real-time force measurement, control, and savings reporting system. It will allow controlling the rotors individually. Norsepower explained in a press brief,

“This optimises efficiency by managing the complex aerodynamic interactions between the sails and the hydrodynamic behaviour of the vessel. Extensive computational fluid dynamics [ ] and wind tunnel tests have been carried out during the design phase to optimise the sail arrangement and design.” Also, routing software will optimise the vessels’ journey across the Atlantic, maximising wind propulsion and avoiding drag caused by adverse ocean conditions. Estimations say that the new con-ros will halve the carbon footprint of LDA-Airbus’ Transatlantic voyages by 2030 vs 2023 levels (from 68 to 33 thousand tonnes/year). The vessels – designed by the Turku-headquartered Deltamarin , constructed by the Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group, and owned and operated by LDA – are expected to set sail in 2026. They will offer a carrying capacity of around 70 forty-foot containers and room for six single-aisle aircraft sub-assembly sets.

Again in February, Norsepower scooped another order, this time for Baltrader ’s under-construction in China cement carrier. The 24x4.0 gear will reduce CEMCOMMANDER ’s fuel consumption by up to 14%. The investment is supported by the German Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport through its Sustainable Modernisation of Coastal Vessels funding directive. Bureau Veritas (BV) will classify the wind propulsion system, with the ship getting the Wind Propulsion 2 (WP2) class notation.

In June 2024, BHP and Pan Pacific Copper saw the retrofit installation of a 35x5.0 Norsepower Rotor on the combination carrier Koryu (operated by Nippon Marine and JX Advanced Metals , and carrying copper concentrates from Chile to Japan and sulphuric acid on the backhaul). Koryu’s sail has a tilting foundation that allows it to be lowered down to facilitate cargo loading and discharge operations at ports. The equipment is estimated to provide 5-6% fuel savings.

Also in June, Norsepower closed a deal with Union Maritime Limited (UML) to furnish the latter’s fleet of new product tankers with Rotor Sails: each of the four 18,500-deadweight newbuilds, to be constructed in China by Fujian Southeast Shipbuilding and Wuhu Shipyard , will receive two sails. A further eight vessels will be rotor sail-ready. WP2-classified by BV, the deal with UML marked the second order supplied according to BV rules and the first according to the classification society’s brand-new rules for wind

propulsion systems (2024 BV NR206). What is more, the deal also signified the serialization of the construction of Norsepower’s Rotor Sails with a diameter of four meters, fully manufactured and assembled at the company’s new Factory #002 in the Chinese Dafeng (officially launched in late November 2024, with the initial yearly capacity of 50 units, potentially up to 100 by end-2027).

In August 2024, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and VALE International shared that their Capesize bulk carrier was successfully retrofitted with two 35x5.0 Rotor Sails from Norsepower. The vessel is expected to achieve about 6-10% fuel and greenhouse gas emission reductions while plying between Brazil and the Far East (combined with voyage optimisation technology).

Lastly, on 20 November 2024, Norsepower shared that IINO LINES saw the installation of two 20x4.0 sails on their Oceanus Aurora . This very large gas carrier sails for Borealis between Houston and Stenungsund/Porvoo, with Norsepower calculating that its Rotor Sail technology will cut the vessel’s fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by approximately 4% when sailing between the Baltic and the Gulf of Mexico. Oceanus Aurora , a dual-fuel liquefied petroleum gas ship, was delivered in March 2023 by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering with the foundations for the Rotor Sails already in place.

Then again, the Copenhagen-based Maersk Tankers shared in November 2024 that it selected the wind-assisted propulsion system developed by bound4blue , a tech company from Barcelona, to be installed on five of its vessels. Maersk Tacoma , Maersk Tampa , Maersk Tangier, Maersk Teesport , and Maersk Tokyo will see the installation of altogether 20 eSAIL® 26-metre-tall suction sails during their dry docking in 2025-26. The eSAIL® system is automated, adjusting the sails to the wind conditions for optimal performance. Njord (also from Copenhagen), appointed by Maersk Tankers as their green transition partner for the project, managed the design and technology selection process end-to-end and will lead the integration and installation of the systems, while also validating the savings. “Maersk Tankers expect double-digit percentage reductions in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions per vessel,” said the owner-operator of a fleet of 240+ tankers and gas carriers in a press release. The order is bound4blue’s biggest to date, with its eSAIL® system set up on four vessels till the autumn of last year.

At the beginning of 2024, Gasum and Nordic Ren-Gas signed an e-methane offtake agreement, according to which the former will buy the entire output of the latter’s Tampere Power-to-Gas plant (set for launch in 2026). The facility (developed, built, and operated by Nordic Ren-Gas) will produce 160GWh/year of e-methane (some 35 thousand tonnes) by using renewable electricity from Finnish wind energy farms and biogenic CO2 captured from existing power plants (110 thousand tonnes). The Tampere plant will be located next to the existing Tammervoima waste incineration plant (operated by Tampere Energia), from which CO2 will be captured from the flue gas. In addition, excess process heat from production will be provided to the Tampere district heating network (600GWh/year).

“In the power-to-gas process, hydrogen is first produced [18 thousand tonnes/year] using renewable electricity and water. The hydrogen is then further processed into e-methane by combining the hydrogen with biogenic carbon dioxide. E-methane produced in this way is fully renewable and will replace fossil fuel usage in transportation, maritime and industrial sectors,” Gasum detailed in a press release. “This partnership is a massive game changer with the possibility to expand the availability of renewable gas at an industrial scale. Gasum aims to become a significant player in the e-methane market, and this is the first step on that path. The e-methane produced by Nordic Ren-Gas is a competitive renewable fuel, which can be efficiently distributed through our existing infrastructure to

Future fuels

our customers in the traffic, maritime and industry segments. Nordic Ren-Gas has an impressive pipeline of similar projects on the way – this is a strategically important partnership for us,” added Mika Wiljanen, CEO of the Gasum Group (which intends to bring 7.0TWh/year of renewable gas onto the market by 2027, making it possible for its clients to reduce their CO2 emissions by a cumulative 1.8 million tonnes).

Also in January last year, the Estonian State Fleet entrusted the also coming from Estonia Baltic Workboats (BWB) with designing and constructing a new multipurpose ship. The €22 million contract, supported by NextGenerationEU, will see BWB delivering the 40 by 10 metres, max speed of 12 knots vessel in 2026 (exact parameters of the workboat will be determined during the detail design process). “The multi-purpose vessel will be Estonia’s first 100% alternatively fuelled workboat that will use sustainable biomethane as the main fuel, thanks to which it will be possible to minimize the ship’s CO2 emissions. In addition, the ship will be equipped with a battery bank that allows the operation of the ship also in 100% electric mode with zero emissions,” BWB detailed in a press brief.

In late February 2024, the Aarhusheadquartered feeder & short-sea shipping line Unifeeder secured the long-term charter for another pair of 1,250-TEU-capacity methanol-run carriers. The deal came atop the October 2023 agreement for an identical duo. All four are scheduled for delivery in 2026, with three coming from the German Elbdeich Reederei and the

remaining one from the Norwegian MPC Container Ships. Unifeeder will use the box vessels in its decarbonisation plans, reducing its carbon footprint by 25% by 2030 on the company’s way towards net zero in 2050. Robert Frese , Managing Director at Elbdeich Reederei, commented (on the first charter deal), “We believe in methanol-capable vessels as part of a suite of solutions being deployed to reduce carbon emissions in our sector and are happy to contribute with this project to a greener future in shipping. We really look forward to operating these modern state-of-the-art container feeder vessels in our partnership with Unifeeder and hope other market participants will follow this example.”

Just before February’s end, Liquid Wind , Alfa Laval, Carbon Clean, Siemens Energy, and Topsoe inaugurated their Design & Performance Centre (DPC) in Hørsholm. The facility is tasked with driving technological progress, strengthening production capacity, and bringing in-demand e-fuels to market at scale. The DPC’s joint research & development department will work on blueprinting ready-to-build e-methanol plants (capacity of producing 100 thousand tonnes per year). Back in November 2023, the parties teamed up to reduce the time, cost, and risk of developing such plants, with plans to get 10 additional e-methanol facilities in the Nordics by 2027 and a total of 80 standardised, 100 thousand tonnes/year capacity e-methanol units by 2030 (estimated to reduce CO2 emissions by 14 million tonnes yearly).

Photo: Christoffer Björklund/Wasaline

That said, FlagshigONE , the first e-methanol plant developed by Liquid Wind (in 2017) and later purchased by Ørsted (at the beginning of 2022) got shelved by the Danish energy company in August 2024. Ørsted shared that the European market for green fuels is developing too slowly and it doesn’t believe it’ll speed up in the short-to-medium term, meaning that scaling up thus lowering prices won’t be possible for the business to become economically attractive. Olivia Breese, CEO of Ørsted in Europe, said to Dagens Logistik , “We have experienced a lack of interest in long-term offtakes at realistic prices and commercial scale, partly due to insufficient regulatory incentives for the offtakes. Without this demand, it is impossible to create value through scale-up and cut costs at the level we need as a large-scale developer.”

In the meantime, Liquid Wind is working on other ‘Flagships:’ the 130 thousand tonnes/year ones in Sundsvall and Umeå , both scheduled to come online in 2027. The company also eyes an e-methanol production plant outside Sweden, in the Finnish Haapavesi, following a letter of intent signed with Kanteleen Voima and Piipsan Tuulivoima in December 2023. Also, in March 2024, Liquid Wind, Umeå Energi, and Wasaline put their pens to a letter of intent that will see the parties exploring the opportunities to fuel the Finnish-Swedish ferry company’s Aurora Botnia with e-methanol to be produced by Liquid Wind’s FlagshipTHREE facility in Umeå. Peter Ståhlberg, Managing Director of Wasaline, underscored, “Together with Liquid Wind and Umeå Energi, we are investigating the possibilities and challenges in

decarbonising our route as part of a green corridor between Vaasa and Umeå. By using eMethanol as one option, we would use electrofuel that is locally produced, which also minimizes the transport distances. We are eager to investigate this option together.”

Then, in August 2024, the German energy company Uniper teamed up with Liquid Wind to develop the NorthStarH2 project in the Municipality of Östersund in Central-Northern Sweden. The partnership will see the set-up of an e-methanol production facility that will convert biogenic CO2 (some 160 thousand tonnes/year) and renewable electricity into 100 thousand tonnes of e-fuel/year for the shipping and chemical industries. “We are very pleased to be part of Uniper’s NorthStarH2 project. NorthStarH2 shows clearly that Sweden continues to drive the green transition with the help of the country’s renewable sources, and that e-fuel will play a crucial role in

electrifying numerous sectors such as shipping, aviation and chemical industries. This collaboration project, together with Uniper, represents another step forward for Liquid Wind, highlighting the importance of partnership in combination with cutting-edge technology in the fight against global warming,” commented Claes Fredriksson, CEO and Founder of Liquid Wind. Earlier in January last year, Uniper also partnered with Jämtkraft, developer of a biomass-fired cogeneration plant in Lugnvik (slated for completion by 2024’s end) at which CO2 will be captured for the NorthStarH2 project.

At the start of March last year, it was revealed that the Port of Hirtshals will house a 5.0MW electrolyser facility of Norwegian Hydrogen, set to produce 500 tonnes of hydrogen per year. The decision followed the granting of €9.0 million by Horizon Europe for the five-year CONVEY project, which aims to establish an integrated hydrogen ecosystem at the Danish seaport. Mirela Atanasiu , at that time the acting Executive Director of Clean Hydrogen Partnership, commented, “With its strategic maritime location, CONVEY is an iconic project that integrates local renewable electricity, using the benefits of hydrogen to decarbonise logistics around the port and greening its local economy. I am proud that CONVEY is now part of our family of Hydrogen Valleys, constituting an important piece of the REPowerEU strategy to decarbonise industry, transport and energy sectors across Europe.”

Also in March, Scanlog shared it’d provide Löfbergs with fossil-free sea transport. The Swedish logistics company will see the also-from-Sweden coffee maker’s shipments carried by vessels using bio-liquefied natural gas (bioLNG) per the massbalanced approach. This move will reduce Löfbergs’ sea freight carbon footprint by

Photo: Port of Gothenburg

Photo: Unifeeder/Elbdeich Reederei

100%. The company, which will pay for bioLNG, imports some 36 thousand tonnes of raw coffee each year. Kajsa-Lisa Ljudén, Head of Sustainability at Löfbergs, commented, “Biogas costs more than fossil fuels, but we think we cannot afford to do otherwise. We have to reduce emissions across the entirety of our value chain. That we are financing the fuel switch 100% means that we see a functioning solution, which will hopefully contribute to others making a change, too.”

Matilda Jarbin , Scanlog’s Chief Sustainability & Communications Officer, added, “Sea transportation has long found itself under the radar. It is, therefore, important that companies like Löfbergs dare to go further, seeing it’s possible to reduce emissions here & now. We hope this will inspire other

firms, speeding up the necessary transition within the transport sector.”

Staying in March, the Port of Gothenburg, Skanska , PowerCell , Hitachi Energy, Linde Gas , Volvo, and Skagerak Energi used Hyflex, a containerised hydrogen fuel cell & battery, for heavy-duty construction needs. The 100kW fuel cell by PowerCell –with green hydrogen provided by Linde Gas and Hitachi Energy supplying the generator to produce electricity from hydrogen – was used on 4-17 March 2024 on the Arendal 2 construction site to run Volvo’s excavator. The plug-and-play solution included fuel cell modules, power electronics, cooling, auxiliary systems, and an intelligent control system. Richard Berkling , CEO of the PowerCell Group, highlighted, “Hyflex has the potential to replace diesel generator sets

across multiple platforms, as well as take on new power generation applications. The current demonstrator has been developed with construction sites in mind, however, we also recognise the need for marine and port electrification applications, such as sustainable ship-to-shore power.” Viktor Allgurén, Innovation Manager at the Port of Gothenburg, added, “In a diverse and energy-intensive operation like a port, there are many areas of use. It can be used as fuel for trucks, trains, or handling equipment in terminals, for propulsion of ships, or to support the power grid when a ship is connected to shore power. So the use of hydrogen fits perfectly into the port context.”

Still in March, we saw the signing of an e-methane letter of intent between Electrochaea and Erik Thun. The former, a German provider of tech for synthetic methane production, and the Swedish shipping line entered offtake negotiations, with the talks concerning e-methane production by Electrochaea’s Danish subsidiary, BioCAT Roslev, which is working on establishing a power-to-gas facility in the Municipality of Skive. There, renewable wind power will be used to produce green hydrogen that will be mixed with the CO2 from biogas production at Rybjerg Biogas in a bioreactor to produce e-methane using Electrochaea’s patented biomethanation technology. Erik Thun plans to use Electrochaea’s RFNBO-compliant e-methane to replace liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a marine bunker. Johan Källsson, Managing Director of Erik Thun, commented, “Walking the path to carbon neutrality poses enormous challenges. At Erik Thun, we are steadfast in our commitment to lead this transition by integrating renewable fuels into our operations. Currently, we are actively exploring different alternatives.” He furthered, “For our vessels running on LNG, e-methane is emerging as a cleaner option. We are proud of this collaboration and that we are pioneering the replacement of fossil fuels with renewable e-methane, awaiting to be officially recognized by the [Swedish] government as a cleaner alternative. Our commitment extends to the construction, maintenance and operation of vessels with advanced designs and a minimal carbon footprint. To create sustainable options that can pass a proper life-cycle analysis, much cleaner e-fuels are needed.”

In April 2024, a number of Latvian, Norwegian, and Swedish companies formed CIS Liepāja , a joint project management team to scrutinise the set-up of a powerto-x complex in the Port of Liepāja . The Liepāja Special Economic Zone , which

Photo: Baltic Workboats

Photo: Klaffproduction/Ireille Rosas/Port of Gothenburg

governs the Latvian seaport, and CIS Liepāja concluded a two-year reservation contract for the potential construction site. The 1,000MW plant, capable of producing 150 thousand tonnes of hydrogen yearly, will feature a sea terminal. The total investment is estimated to be around €1.0 billion. In late November, a number of organisations – Liepāja SEZ, Van Oord , Euroports , and GI Termināls – set up the Liepāja Sustainable Industry Hub to push forward a few green projects, totalling €4.0+ billion over 2025-35. The investments include an OWE support base and three terminals in the Port of Liepāja: for handling heavy OWE cargo, storing & exporting CO2 , and for producing green hydrogen.

In mid-May last year, the Danish shipowner M.H. Simonsen entrusted the Chinese New Jiangzhou Shipbuilding with delivering eight dual-fuel (methanol) chemical tankers. The shipbuilder, which also provided the tanker design, will supply the 6,800-deadweight vessels in 2026.

Also in May, the Danish-Swedish authority of the Copenhagen Malmö Port (CMP) partnered with Green2x, a Hellerup-based company that wants to turn biomass waste into bioenergy, to scrutinise the set-up of a biofuel plant in Malmö. The parties kicked off the works with a pilot study, a phase that also includes securing relevant permits. If everything goes according to the plan, the facility should be up & running by 2030. “Green2x’s technology extracts green energy from the straw that remains after harvesting, which enables the production of green energy on a whole new scale, because the straw contains a lot of energy, and this technology enables more than 95% of it to be recovered,” read the companies’ press release. “We are incredibly pleased to join this exciting partnership with CMP and the City of Malmö. Green2x’s strategic plans are now accelerating, supporting our ambitions to become an international green fuel producer very rapidly. The location in Malmö opens doors to enormous potential. This gives us a unique opportunity to strengthen cooperation with the shipping industry, among others,” commented Mikkel Sjølin Kiil, CEO, Green2x. He added, “At the same time, we use the geographical synergies with our plant in Vordingborg, especially when it comes to sourcing large quantities of straw. The tempo, market interest and ambitions are high, and it is gratifying that the next step will be in collaboration with CMP and the City of Malmö.” Back then, his company also shared that it obtained a permit for the establishment of its first plant in the Danish Port of Vordingborg, with the start

of production scheduled for 2027.

In June 2024, Wasaline made it possible also for private travellers to pay a nominal voluntary fee when crossing between Umeå and Vaasa on board the company’s Aurora Botnia ferry. The climate compensation scheme, earlier introduced for cargo customers, was used to buy bioLNG to propel the vessel. “It was warmly welcomed and over 1,500 passengers used it during the first three months,” the Finnish-Swedish ferry line shared in a LinkedIn post. “By operating with biogas and batteries, the journey is climate neutral. Since Aurora Botnia started in traffic [August 2021], we have reduced CO2 emissions by 27.1% and last year (2023) 10% of our journeys were operated with biogas. Our goal for 2024 is to reduce our CO2 footprint by 15%,” highlighted Peter Ståhlberg , Wasaline’s Managing Director. At the start of 2025, Wasaline introduced emission-free conferences on Aurora Botnia, with the shipping company covering the compensation fee. “Our conference customers are increasingly interested in sustainability, and it plays an ever more important role when choosing a conference venue. By offering all conference trips booked through us as emission-free, we meet our customers’ needs,” highlighted Niina Jansson, Sales Director at Wasaline.

In June 2024, SRC from Estonia and GREEN MARINE partnered to promote the use of methanol as a marine fuel by encouraging the uptake of the former’s Methanol Superstorage. “Using the SPS Technology Sandwich Plate System instead of traditional cofferdams that separate tank walls, Methanol Superstorage boosts shipboard tank volumes by 85% and provides effective mitigation for methanol’s significantly lower energy density than conventional HFO [heavy fuel oil],” the parties underlined in a press brief. Hannes Lilp, CEO of the SRC

Group, added, “Following the huge initial impact made by Methanol Superstorage, SRC and GREEN MARINE will work together to provide comprehensive technical coverage for methanol integration. With GREEN MARINE’s extensive experience in methanol projects and overall technical knowledge of the entire process, combined with SRC’s expertise in methanol storage and over 23 years of experience in ship refits and conversions, we are well-placed to onboard Methanol Superstorage for both retrofit and new build vessels, and establish a mature sales framework to enable global adoption.” Chris Chatterton, Managing Director & Partner, GREEN MARINE, said, “Market receptiveness to Methanol Superstorage has been exceptional and we look forward to working with SRC to realise its extraordinary potential to help drive forward methanol as a mainstream marine fuel. Investors will be encouraged to know that, as the most experienced technical player in marine methanol, GREEN MARINE’s expertise, insight and global support stands alongside SRC in the demonstration phase of Methanol Superstorage.”

Staying in June, Climate Leap, an investment programme of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, awarded up to SEK125.6 million (€11 million) for the Lhyfe’s 10MW production plant in Southern Sweden. Once potentially up & running in 2027, the Trelleborg site will produce up to four tonnes of green hydrogen per day. The grant – which will fund the development & design phases, the supply of equipment, and the construction work – represents about 40% of the total estimated investment in the project. “We are very happy to have been awarded this grant, which is the first project we have been granted subsidies for in Sweden and which we see as a clear reward of our efforts and

Photo: Port of Gothenburg

as the recognition of our expertise in the production and delivery of green hydrogen to multiple customers over the last two years,” said Sara Wihlborg , Country Manager Sweden at the French company. She further underlined, “It is also a proof of us going the right direction in Sweden, and we would like to reiterate our commitment to the Swedish environmental agenda and welcome the fact that Sweden is focusing on the rapid expansion of a hydrogen infrastructure based on renewable energies. This project will contribute towards providing green hydrogen for the mobility sector in the South of Sweden. It will support our objective to increase the penetration of green hydrogen throughout Sweden both for mobility and industry.”

In mid-September 2024, Copenhagen Malmö Port shared that its box-handling facility in the Danish capital fully switched to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO100) as well as green electricity to run its quay and yard machinery. The port company started with phasing in HVO100 for operating terminal tractors, empty container handlers, and forklifts. CMP’s new hybrid straddle carriers were next, followed by older models. Meanwhile, the terminal’s ship-to-shore gantries and work vehicles were already running on electricity sourced from renewables. Switching to HVO100, which will replace some 286 thousand litres of fossil diesel consumed by CMP in Copenhagen annually, will result in reducing CO2e emissions by 640 tonnes/year. Originally, it was planned that the full phasing-in of HVO in Copenhagen would not take place until the commissioning of the new container terminal at Ydre Nordhavn in 2025. “We at CMP are very proud to be able to offer container terminal handling in Copenhagen without the use of fossil fuels – and this more than half a year ahead of the original schedule. This is an integral step in our green transition, as well as our customers’ and the entire transport sector’s green transition. The container terminal in Copenhagen is absolutely crucial for consumers and companies in the Copenhagen metropolitan area a capital area and Region Zealand as a whole – as it handles the vast majority of containers for the market in the eastern part of Denmark. It is therefore very important for us to have eliminated fossil fuels in our terminal operations and thereby support the phase-out of CO2 emissions from fossil fuels in Copenhagen as well as in Malmö,” highlighted Povl Dolleris Røjkjær Ungar, CMP’s COO. CMP intends to make its own operations zero-emission by 2025 and climate positive by 2040 (in accordance with

the Science Based Targets initiative). “Over the course of 2020-2023, CMP reduced its CO2 emissions in its operations (GHG scope 1+2) by 68%. This corresponds to an annual reduction of 1,477 tonnes of CO2e. In Malmö, HVO100 has already been deployed by CMP, which has reduced CMP’s emissions by more than an estimated 840 tonnes CO2e annually,” the joint Danish-Swedish port authority said in a press release.

In the middle of September alike, Rohe Solutions , the Finnish subsidiary of the Estonian Alexela , added the liquefactionfrom-the-grid process in the terminal in the Port of Hamina , using it to produce (in collaboration with Hamina LNG) bioLNG. “The availability of bioLNG in Finland is currently still limited, as larger-scale biogas production projects are only in their early stages. Liquefaction from the grid is our response to the growing demand for biofuels, especially in the short term,” highlighted Sanna Kokkonen, CEO of Rohe Solutions. She furthered, “The potential of bioLNG has been recognised in maritime and road transport, as well as in industry. We see this as the first step towards replacing LNG in Finland and its neighbouring areas with produced bioLNG.”

The first batch of bioLNG liquefied at the Hamina LNG terminal was sent to Estonia to Alexela’s refuelling stations. Marti Hääl, CEO of Alexela, commented, “We are excited that this long-prepared project that started already in 2017 with development of the Hamina LNG terminal, one of the largest foreign direct investments from Estonia to Finland, has become a reality, and largescale bioLNG liquefaction can start in the Baltic Sea region. This is another excellent demonstration of the cross-border cooperation and will increase the availability of renewable fuels not only in Finland and

Estonia, but throughout Northern Europe.”

In October 2024, European Energy inaugurated its first hydrogen-producing facility in Måde, near Esbjerg, with the output delivered to the Port of Esbjerg and an industrial gases company. The Danish Stiesdal supplied the first electrolyser to the plant (which was completed in June last year). “Plans are already in place to expand the facility with two additional electrolysers, of which the next is expected to be installed in 2025. When all three electrolysers are operating, the plant will have a total capacity of 12MW and an expected annual production of 1,500 metric tonnes of hydrogen,” European Energy added in a press brief. Excess heat generated from the hydrogen production process is being utilised by DIN Forsyning, a local heating utility. Centrica serves as the facility’s balancing and optimisation partner, ensuring that energy usage and hydrogen production are managed to maximise output and minimise costs. “With the start of operations at Måde, we can deliver green hydrogen to the market. This achievement demonstrates that the transformation of our energy systems is not just a distant vision – it’s happening right now,” highlighted Knud Erik Andersen, CEO of European Energy. The company’s EVP and Head of Power-to-X, Emil VikjærAndresen, also said, “This facility is just the beginning. Through the many learnings we have captured by designing, constructing and commissioning the plant, we will be able to reduce cost and time for future plants while improving project economics. And this is pivotal for helping to decarbonise industries that are hard to directly electrify.” In the meantime, European Energy also commissioned its Kassø methanol facility (52MW electrolyser provided by Siemens), producing the first green methanol before 2024’s closure. Sourcing energy from the Kassø 300MW

Photo: Nordion Energi

solar park, the plant has the possibility to produce up to 32 thousand tonnes/year, with offtakes already secured by Maersk, Novo Nordisk, and the LEGO Group

Speaking of Maersk and methanol, the global container carrier from Copenhagen signed in October last year a long-term offtake agreement with the Chinese LONGi Green Energy Technology for the supply of bio-methanol for the former’s growing fleet of dual-fuel vessels. The first batch of the fuel, produced at LONGi’s facility in Xu Chang in Central China from residues such as straw and fruit tree cuttings, will be supplied in 2026, with full production expected by end-decade. “It will meet Maersk’s methanol sustainability requirements including at least 65% reductions in GHG emissions on a lifecycle basis compared to fossil fuels of 94g CO2e/MJ,” the Danish shipping company said in a press release. Back in autumn of 2024, Maersk’s combined offtake agreements met over 50% of the dual-fuel methanol fleet’s bunker demand in 2027 (seven vessels are already operational, sailing also in the Baltic). “Bio- and e-methanol continues to be the most promising alternative shipping fuels to scale up in this decade, and the agreement with LONGi serves as a testament to this. Global shipping’s main net-zero challenge is the price gap between fossil fuels and the alternatives with lower greenhouse gas emissions. We continue to strongly urge the International Maritime Organization’s Member States to level the

playing field by adopting a global green fuel standard and an ambitious pricing mechanism which the industry urgently needs,” Rabab Raafat Boulos , Maersk’s COO, stressed. The company’s Head of Energy Markets, Emma Mazhari, added, “While we believe that the future of global logistics will see several pathways to net-zero, this agreement underscores the continued momentum for methanol projects that are pursued by ambitious developers across markets. China continues to play a pioneering role, and it is encouraging to also see strong market developments in other geographies as well.”

Also in October of last year, EFO, a JV of Swedish energy companies, shared the details of the partnership with the Ystadbased AtoB@C Shipping on reducing the carbon footprint of its sea transports. The initiative involves substituting 10% of the annual fuel consumption of EFO’s shipments with renewable alternatives, resulting in a projected 8.5% reduction in lifecycle emissions. The first two voyages were carried out with 100% renewable fuel, seeing AtoB@C Shipping’s plug-in hybrid Electramar unloading cargo in the Port of Oxelösund. In addition, the companies agreed to implement virtual arrival (VA) as a standard operational practice to optimise the speed of the vessels when there is a known delay in port. On average, VA reduced emissions in AtoB@C Shipping’s traffic by 11% in the voyages it had been applied for.

October also witnessed the opening of a green hydrogen refuelling station in Gothenburg. Operated by Hydri, the 1,500kg of capacity/35 trucks per day station sits next to the Port of Gothenburg’s Gate 6, the entrance to the Gothenburg RoRo Terminal (with 400 thousand vehicles/year, one of Sweden’s most heavily trafficked roads). The facility, partly founded by the Swedish Energy Agency, is Hydri’s first in what will become a network of 20 hydrogen stations across the country in 2024-25. “The large flow of trucks to the port and the possibility to refuel work machinery make the location for this hydrogen refueling station ideal. Combined with several existing charging stations around the port, heavy land transport at the Port of Gothenburg is now fully ready for a transition to both electricity and hydrogen,” highlighted Viktor Allgurén, Head of Innovation at the Port of Gothenburg. Michel Thomas , CEO of Qarlbo Energy and Chairman of Hydri’s Board, added, “Green hydrogen has great potential to drive the transition of heavy transport. With this refueling station, we are paving the way forward towards a carbonneutral transport sector.”

In mid-November 2024, JetGas signed an agreement with the Port of Tallinn for setting up a liquefied methane facility in the Muuga Harbour. Upon final completion by 2030, the terminal – covering some 7,000 square metres in the eastern part of Muuga – will feature up to five storage

Photo: Port of Hirtshals

tanks and a quay-connecting pipe. The first tank is expected to be erected by end-2027. The Port of Tallinn and JetGas signed the terminal deal for 30 years. “The construction of the liquefied methane terminal is the result of a tender process initiated last spring, the aim of which was to find new operators for vacant areas of the Muuga Harbour. The new terminal and cooperation with JetGas, as a long-term player in the energy products market, will bring us additional vessel calls and cargo volumes, and will create opportunities for the transport sector when switching to more environmentally friendly fuels,” highlighted Valdo Kalm, Chairman of the Port of Tallinn’s Management Board. JetGas’ Management Board’s Chair, Janek Parkman, added, “The construction of the new liquefied methane terminal in the Muuga Harbour will allow us to obtain primarily bioLNG, but also other methane fuels in larger consignments from the world market, resulting in cheaper prices and better security of supply.” Earlier, in late September 2024, the Port of Tallinn signed a memorandum of understanding with the US-based Protio for the production of e-fuels (e-methanol, sustainable aviation fuel, and potentially e-NG) at the Muuga Harbour. Kalm commented on the occasion, “Switching to alternative fuels for ships reduces greenhouse gases (GHGs), improves air quality, and helps protect the marine environment. The goal of the Port of Tallinn is to achieve climate neutrality and zero emissions from ships docked at the port by 2050. Increasing the availability of

alternative fuels allows shipping to become more environmentally friendly and reduces the carbon footprint of ports.”

Towards the month’s end and the Port of Riga announced that PARS Termināl was scrutinising the construction of a production plant in the Latvian capital seaport, set to supply 93 thousand tonnes of hydrotreated vegetable oil and 87kt of sustainable aviation fuel per year. The €120-million investment, the completion of which is estimated to take 20 months, will be located in Kundziņsala in the Port of Riga. It will have the capacity to process 236 thousand tonnes/ year of feedstock (mainly vegetable oils).

“The new plant is a step in the modernisation of our business. With Ukrainian partners, we will ensure economic independence from foreign supplies, thus shortening logistics chains and obtaining high value added products that are currently only imported in the Baltics. This would also benefit our aviation sector, and the Latvian national airline AirBaltic would be a direct beneficiary, with immediate, significant economic benefits, especially looking beyond 2030, when at least 20% of aviation fuel will have to be renewable,” Armands Sadauskis , Owner of PARS Termināl, commented. Latvia’s Minister for Climate and Energy, Kaspars Melnis, also said, “Sustainable thinking, by creating a new, long-term demand renewable fuel production facility in the Freeport of Riga, is an economically forward-looking way to increase Latvia’s influence as a sustainable energy producer in the Baltics in the context of declining transit cargo volumes

in the region. The renewable fuel plant will strengthen energy independence, create 120 highly skilled jobs, while providing Latvian farmers with stable demand for energyintensive crops and helping Latvia to meet its climate neutrality goals.” Ansis Zeltiņš, the Port of Riga’s CEO, highlighted, “The implementation of industrial projects, especially in the segment of green energy production, which has high added value and high demand, is one of the cornerstones of the future development of the Port of Riga. The PARS Termināl project is an excellent example of how the Port of Riga can become a modern and sustainable platform for industrial projects.”

At the beginning of December last year, the Copenhagen-headquartered ferry company Scandlines partnered with the engine manufacturer Caterpillar Motoren to scrutinise the conversion of the MaK diesel units of the Gedser-Rostock hybrid ferries to run on green methanol. To that end, Caterpillar Motoren said it would provide a test engine in its workshop by 2025. If Scandlines concludes that it meets the expectations and fulfils the conditions, then the first ferry diesel engine could be converted in 2027. Scandlines committed itself to zero direct emission ferry operations by 2040. The Berlin and Copenhagen diesel vessels that serve the service in question are also equipped with batteries (1.5MWh systems from Corvus Energy) and rotor sails (supplied by Norsepower).

In mid-December 2024, the Swedish energy infrastructure company Nordion Energi and the Finnish energy company St1 teamed up for the set-up of a liquefaction terminal for bioLNG in the Port of Gothenburg. The facility of 250GWh of biogas liquefaction capacity will be directly connected to the West Swedish gas network. For clients outside the grid, liquefied biogas will be temporarily stored in a tank before onward delivery, either by truck or by pipeline for direct ship bunkering. St1 already reserved a portion of the capacity; the company also shared that it plans to sell 6.0TWh of biogas till 2030. “This is a great opportunity to reach out with biogas to ships, road transport and also industries that are not directly connected to the gas grid. For us, it is important to bring St1 – a player that invests heavily in biogas and is serious about the energy transition. Through the collaboration, we are taking a new step towards enabling more people to gain access to biogas,” Carolina Wistén, Marketing Manager at Nordion Energi, commented. Matti Oksanen, Director of Gas Business at St1, added, “Biogas is an important

Photo: Rohe Solutions

part of our energy transition, and we are investing heavily in the expansion of both the production and distribution of liquid

At the beginning of February 2024, the ports of Stockholm and Turku, alongside Viking Line, signed an agreement to make the crossing between them fossil-free by 2035 at the latest. The partnership will act as an innovative platform to develop scalable solutions for phasing out fossil fuels. The initiative will also leverage the advances and solutions from the Decatrip project, a collaboration between Rauma Marine Constructions, Viking Line, Åbo Akademi University, and Kempower. Clara Lindblom, City Council responsible for the Ports of Stockholm, said, “Climate change is happening here and now. It is more important than ever to take tangible steps towards a green transition. We know that more transport by rail or sea is needed rather than by road and air. Green shipping plays a major role in climate transition measures in the transport sector.” Jan Hanses, Viking Line’s CEO, also underlined, “Viking Line is a shipping company that has its roots in the vulnerable archipelago. That means that for us, the work of protecting and preserving the Baltic Sea is part of our DNA. We strive to be an ambitious role model in the industry and are proud of taking this step together with the Ports of Stockholm and the Port of Turku to come closer to achieving fossil fuelfree cruises and transport in this important shipping fairway between Sweden, the Åland Islands, and Finland.” Erik Söderholm, the Port of Turku’s CEO, added, “Environmental work has always been a focus of our business operations. The Port of Turku nestles within a very vulnerable archipelago. This gives us the responsibility of respecting our surroundings at all times in our daily activities. In 2023, we signed Turku’s Climate City Contract, which has the goal of the city being carbon neutral by 2029. This is a goal we are working systematically to achieve and is why this memorandum to develop a green transport corridor between Turku and Stockholm is a natural step for us.” The Stockholm-Turku Green Corridor – ‘green’ as per the Clydebank Declaration, of which Finland and Sweden are signatories – is open to onboarding other stakeholders from the shipping and port industries, as well as cargo owners, freight forwarders, etc. In the middle of the following month, the ports of Lübeck and Trelleborg, the port operator LHG, and the ferry company TT-Line partnered to make the crossing fossil fuelfree by 2040 at the latest. The parties underlined in a press release, “The cooperation will

biogas. Collaborations with players such as Nordion Energi give us the opportunity to expand our production and sales of biogas

Green Corridors

not only serve as an innovative platform and exchange of information, but the aim of all partners is to decarbonize transport in the partners’ direct sphere of influence as well as to influence the entire transport chain of the goods in question. Specific projects and activities are to be developed jointly, among other things.” The first initiative across the Lübeck-Trelleborg Green Shipping Corridor will see the set-up of additional onshore power supply connections in both seaports. At the same time, TT-Line will retrofit four of its ferries with cold ironing connectors. Hannes Conzen, TT-Line’s CEO, commented, “This initiative is a logical necessity in times of climate targets. This approach must be extended to the entire transport chain in the future. The Port of Lübeck, the Lübeck-Trelleborg sea route, and the Port of Trelleborg are the first important steps in this direction.” Guido Kaschel, Head of Division at the Lübeck Port Authority, added, “By taking a holistic view, we are taking the right step towards climateneutral transportation on the Baltic Sea. It also continues the city’s activities for a transport turnaround in the hinterland through maritime transport.”

At the beginning of April last year, X-Press Feeders and six North European ports –Antwerp-Bruges, HaminaKotka, Helsinki, Klaipėda, Riga, and Tallinn – joined forces to establish two North Sea-Baltic green (methanol) corridors. Following the agreement, X-Press Feeders is, as of Q3 2024, running two sea container routes powered by green methanol. The Green Baltic X-PRESS

and are an important enabler for supplying, among other things, the transport sector with locally produced LBG.”

(GBX) loop connects the ports of Rotterdam, Antwerp-Bruges, Klaipėda, and Riga. The Green Finland X-PRESS (GFX) service links Rotterdam, Antwerp-Bruges, Helsinki, Tallinn, and HaminaKotka. X-Press Feeders’ green methanol, made from green hydrogen and the decomposition of organic matter (waste and residues), is sourced from the fuel supplier OCI Global. The company’s green methanol is certified by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification Association. X-Press Feeders says that green methanol as an alternative marine fuel produces at least 60% less GHG emissions vs conventional bunker. Additionally, the parties will work together to further develop infrastructure for the provision and bunkering of alternative fuels; encourage the development of supply chains for fuels that are zero or near-zero in terms of GHG emissions; provide further training programmes for port workers and seafarers with regards to the handling of alternative fuels; leverage digital platforms to enhance port call optimization; as well as hold regular meetings to update and discuss progress on actions to continue developing green shipping corridors. “By working together – X-Press Feeders and the six partner ports – aim to efficiently implement green shipping corridors and lead the maritime industry in sustainability. We chose the Nordic and Baltic states as the first markets to deploy our green methanol powered vessels because we found the ports and our customers in these markets to be very receptive,” underlined Francis Goh, X-Press Feeders’ COO.

Photo: Joacim Clarin/Ports of Stockholm

Margus Vihman, Commercial Manager at the Port of Tallinn, also commented, “Making the maritime sector more sustainable and reducing its environmental footprint is a priority for all stakeholders in our industry. It is extremely welcoming that the first tangible steps – towards greater sustainability in our industry – addresses fuel consumption. The Port of Tallinn was one of the fastest ports in Europe to digitalize, and soon we can say the same about the introduction of new types of fuel.” Vesa Marttinen, the Port of Helsinki’s Vice President Cargo, shared, “We are humble and proud to be a chosen destination for methanol-driven container ship from summer 2024 onwards. This is a very important milestone for the Carbon-Neutral Port of Helsinki Manifestation. The only possible way to achieve significantly reduced cargo owners’ scope 3 emissions from maritime transportation comes with shipping companies like X-Press Feeders taking the tangible steps.” Timo Rosendahl, Director of Traffic Operations at the Port of HaminaKotka, also said, “The Port of HaminaKotka is committed to promoting environmentally friendly practices in maritime transport by signing this memorandum of understanding aimed at accelerating the establishment of green shipping corridors in Europe. This initiative is a step towards a more sustainable future and more environmentally responsible shipping. We strongly believe that joint actions play a key role in our efforts to reduce the environmental impact of shipping.”

In mid-June 2024, the two Belgian ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge became part of the Belgium-Sweden Green Corridor, launched in 2022 by DFDS, North Sea Port, and the Port of Gothenburg. The parties are working

on making the 2,500-kilometre-long crossing as environmentally friendly as possible, including the launch of two ammonia-run ro-ros by 2030 (a part of DFDS’ ambition to have six low- and near-zero-emission vessels in operation by the end of this decade). E-trucks and rail will serve hinterland traffic, while berthed ships will have the possibility to draw power from the shore. “DFDS has applied for funding for a total of four ammonia-fuelled vessels and, if the funding is granted, the project including electrification in the ports is expected to reduce 328,000 tonnes of CO2e emissions per year corresponding to around 11% of DFDS’ scope 1 GHG emissions compared to 2023,” the Danish shipping & logistics company highlighted in a press release. “The Port of Antwerp-Bruges fully endorses the efforts of its customers and partners in prioritizing the greening of operations, both at sea and on land. DFDS, an important operator with a daily roll-on/roll-off freight service to Gothenburg, will contribute to our ambition towards climate-neutral transport in, to and through the port. As one of the largest bunker hubs worldwide, the Port of AntwerpBruges is committed to offering climateneutral marine fuels and embraces DFDS’ innovative approach of utilizing ammoniapowered ro-ro vessels on the corridor,” Luc Arnouts, VP International Networks, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, commented. Patrik Benrick, Head of Strategic Development & Innovation at the Port of Gothenburg, also commented, “The Port of Gothenburg is already in the early stages of developing operating regulations for a safe and efficient handling and bunkering of ammonia-propelled vessels. We are also working on establishing an ammonia value chain, with the purpose of

being able to facilitate everything needed for ammonia-propelled vessels calling and bunkering in the port on a regular basis in 2030 and beyond.” Jacob Andersen, Vice President, North Sea, DFDS, said, “This is a testament to our ambitions and commitment to play an active role in the green transition. We expect this to be the world’s first green corridor for ro-ro cargo vessels running on near-zero emission ammonia fuel. This transition will not be possible without collaboration. We are working together with more than 50 partners to realise this project, which will contribute to a more sustainable future for European shipping, and the ports are a key part of this.” Daan Schalck, North Sea Port’s CEO, summed up, “I am very happy to see our original initiative develop into a wider network and I’m committed to build further on our collaborative experience. The Belgian-Swedish Green Corridor is an important milestone towards decarbonizing the logistics sector and delivering on European resilience. It goes beyond the typical high-level language and includes concrete pledges on which we, as a port together with our clients and stakeholders, want to deliver.”

The next month saw the cities of Liepāja and Lübeck and their seaports team up to make the crossing between them more environmentally friendly. The parties said they would work on decreasing the footprint of the ports’ own operations and consumption, provide means for ship, road and rail port users to green their activities, as well as invest in infrastructure and equipment to handle larger vessels. “The letter of intent with the city and the Port of Lübeck is yet another step for Liepāja on its way to become an increasingly greener and more environmentally friendly city, which goes hand in hand with

Photo: Port of Tallinn

the European Green Deal goals to create sustainable industry and transport. The sea route connecting Liepāja and Lübeck has historically been an important waterway, which we are now committed to develop also as an environmentally friendly shipping corridor to ensure supply chains throughout Europe,” said Gunārs Ansiņš, Chairperson of the Liepāja City Council. Uldis Hmieļevskis, CEO of the Liepāja Special Economic Zone (the body managing the Latvian port), added, “Shipments by sea are greener and

At the beginning of 2024, the Port of Helsingborg got hold of its Kalmar 587kWh battery-capacity reachstacker. The cargo handling gear, rolling on Continental tyres, can stack containers up to five high. The loading capacity is 45, 32, and 16 tonnes for the first, second, and third row, respectively. The e-reachstacker joined the Swedish seaport’s four all-electric terminal tractors from Terberg Bart Steijaert, the Port of Helsingborg’s CEO, highlighted, “An important part of our sustainability work is the development of climate-neutral, electrified port operations. We aim to have 75% of our work machines running on electricity by 2026, which is a demanding target within our ambition of being the most modern port in the Nordics.” The deal with Kalmar also included supporting the port’s mechanics with training. Eric Wass, member of the sales team with Kalmar Sweden, commented, “With our electric reachstacker, we offer the industry performance and productivity while reducing the carbon footprint. We are proud to deliver Sweden’s first 100% electric

environmentally friendlier. We are pleased that the ferry line [of Stena Line] has been operating successfully with positive dynamics; however, we still see many trucks on the road. This letter of intent is to a large extent on our mutual cooperation in future to increase the amount of cargoes on the ferry line and to accommodate larger ships in future. To achieve such goals, we need to proceed with major reconstruction of the Ferry Berth No. 46 in the Port of Liepāja, specifically taking into consideration that in recent years the

Electricity

reachstacker and would like to congratulate the Port of Helsingborg for leading the way.”

At the turn of the year, Kalmar also shared that the Norwegian-Swedish shipowner Wallenius Wilhelmsen ordered four heavy forklift trucks and two reachstackers, all of them electric (as well as three heavy terminal tractors for the company’s US operations). Svante Alverönn, Vice President, Global Service Solutions, Kalmar, underscored, “We are extremely proud that Wallenius Wilhelmsen has chosen Kalmar equipment as part of its fleet renewal programme in the US. This order is another clear demonstration of the rapidly rising demand for robust fully electric equipment that is capable of moving heavy loads, and represents the first sales of our electric reachstacker and heavy electric forklift to a customer in the US.”

In mid-March last year, DFDS ordered 100 e-trucks from Volvo of the FH Electric and FM Electric models, upping its heavyduty electric truck fleet to 230. At the time of the purchase, the Danish shipping & logistics

amount of cargoes transported on the ferry line has already increased significantly.” Hmieļevskis also underlined, “The operation of the ferry terminal is a good example on how, by investing in the infrastructure development, both public and private funds can increase the cargo turnover. No less important is the already established synergy of the port and industrial manufacturing companies, as well as the close cooperation between business, the Liepāja SEZ Authority, the state and local government institutions.”

company was already running 95 e-trucks across Belgium, Denmark, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Sweden (plus awaited the delivery of 35 from the previous e-order). The newest batch will be deployed in Ireland, Norway, and the UK. DFDS plans to have at least 25% of its truck fleet electrified by 2030. Niklas Anderson, EVP, Logistics Division at DFDS, said, “We want to drive the transition to more sustainable road transport. Our expanding fleet of electric trucks will not only contribute to reducing the climate impact of our operations. It will also enable DFDS to support more companies that are looking to decarbonise their supply chains. The 100 new electric trucks underline our commitment to pushing the development forward.” Roger Alm, President of Volvo Trucks, added, “I am very proud to continue our close partnership with DFDS. This order for an additional 100 Volvo electric trucks is proof of their trust in our company. The big increase in DFDS’ electric truck fleet shows that zero-emissions transport is a viable solution here and now.”

Fast forward to August and another Danish transport & logistics firm bought Volvo e-trucks. DSV will see the supply of 300 electric trucks from the Swedish manufacturer, including the Volvo FH Aero Electric with improved aerodynamics (the agreement also includes 500 Volvo trucks with fuel-efficient diesel and gas drive lines). All trucks are expected to be delivered between 2024 and 2026. DSV plans to run a fleet of 2,000 e-trucks by 2030. The company already runs Volvo electric trucks in Denmark and Sweden, having established charging stations in its distribution centres in Horsens and Landskrona (with electricity coming from photovoltaics). DSV has set a near-term goal to reduce scope 1 & 2 emissions by 50% and scope 3 ones by 30% in 2030 vs the 2019-baseline. The company intends to become net-zero by mid-century. Søren Schmidt , CEO, DSV Road , commented on the order, “Close collaboration

Photo: Port of Riga

across sectors provides an opportunity for DSV to be a key enabler for decarbonisation in the industry. We are happy to extend our partnership with Volvo in our joint effort to reduce emissions in the transport industry. As a global leader in logistics, we strive to stay at the forefront of the green transition and this agreement is a fantastic example of how new technologies can be brought to market at scale to make them more accessible for our customers. The deal with Volvo is an important step towards enabling a more sustainable future in trucking.”

In April 2024, Vänerhamn, a Swedish port company that manages five harbours on Vänern (the EU’s largest lake), said it would install 1,000 square metres of photovoltaics (PV) in Otterbäcken. In December, the system was ready for connecting, expected to generate 181 thousand kWh/year. Should the Port of Otterbäcken use all the energy produced by the new installation, it would cover 40% of its yearly electricity needs. Since 2020, there has already been another PV system up & running in Vänerhamn’s Karlstad , having generated 850 thousand kWh till the spring of last year.

In May of last year, the ferry line Öresundslinjen , a subsidiary of the Danish Molslinjen, said it would retrofit Hamlet operating across the HelsingørHelsingborg crossing to sail on battery power instead of fossil bunker. The Swedish Echandia will deliver the battery system, scheduled to take place in H1 2025. It will be tailored for a minimum lifespan of 10

years without requiring battery replacement. Recharging will take 11 minutes on average. Hamlet makes some 8,000 trips annually. It will be Öresundslinjen’s third ferry running on electricity after Tycho Brahe and Aurora (both have 4.16MWh systems). Echandia will also supply two other battery packs for other of Molslinjen’s daughter companies’ ferries: Nerthus will get 3.1MW for serving the Fynshav-Bøjden route, while Tyrfing 3.8MW for the longer Ballen-Kalundborg link.

In mid-July 2024, the ports of Helsinki and Tallinn yet again secured financial backing from the EU, this time some €15.4 million for, among others, reducing emissions from shipping in their cargo harbours. The total budget of TWIN-PORT VI amounts to €30.8m, of which Tallinn will contribute €20.3m and Helsinki €10.5m. The EU-supported investments will include onshore power supply facilities in Tallinn’s Muuga and Helsinki’s Vuosaari harbours. At the same time, the Port of Kemi also secured EU backing. The Finnish seaport will receive money from the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) within the 23-FI-TG-Arctic SSE project to set up an onshore power supply facility on the new autumn 2023-opened quay. Once the investment is up & running, two ships will be able to draw power from the shore concurrently.

On 17 September 2024, TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 7 was the first to draw power from what Sweden’s capital port calls the country’s first high-voltage onshore power

supply facility set up specifically for international cruise ships. “The inauguration of Sweden’s first onshore power connection for cruise ships is an important milestone in creating a premium destination for sustainable cruise traffic, both in Stockholm and throughout the Baltic Sea region. Cruise ships can now connect to electricity from the quayside, greatly reducing their impact on the environment,” commented Jens Holm, Chair of the Board of the Ports of Stockholm. According to the port company, at least 45% of cruise ships calling to the Swedish capital can now draw power from the shore, with the electricity used being 100% green. Together with three other Baltic seaports – CopenhagenMalmö, Aarhus, and Helsinki – the Ports of Stockholm received EU funding for OPS investments, with one of Stockholm’s facilities also securing support from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Leap initiative. The Ports of Stockholm aim to reduce shipping emissions in its port areas to zero by 2040.

In late October 2024, WT Terminal, operating in the Port of Riga, commissioned a PV installation that comprises 480 panels with a total capacity of 220.8kW. “One of the WT Terminal business areas is the processing of sawn timber – drying, sorting, packaging. These are quite energy-intensive processes, so self-generated energy definitely makes our company more cost-efficient and less dependent on fluctuations in the electricity market,” underlined Andis Bunkšis, the company’s

Photo: DFDS

Board Member. He furthered, “Now it is clear that both financial institutions and our customers are taking an active interest in the sustainability performance of the company and are redirecting freight flows to green transport corridors. That is why we have started to structure our business according to sustainability principles and are working hard to ensure that the company has a common vision for sustainable development.” Bunkšis also announced, “Next year [2025], an innovative, electricity-powered hydraulic crane will be installed on the terminal’s berths. A new transformer substation has been built to ensure the operation of the electric crane and three berths have been equipped with a power supply. Thus, the company will be provided with a single green infrastructure facility that will increase the terminal’s performance and energy efficiency, while reducing harmful emissions and environmental impact.” The two other PVs in the Port of Riga are the 4.61MW system of Kronospan Riga and the 0.875MW of Baltic Container Terminal. Riga Universal Terminal is also working on its 250kW installation.

At the start of November last year, the Ports of Halland , with the help of Bravida and Halmstads Energi och Miljö, set up a high-voltage transformer station to create sufficient charging capacity to electrify the machinery fleet of the Port of Halmstad ’s container terminal. “With the new charging infrastructure we are taking an enormous leap towards our vision of electrifying the terminal’s whole machine park. This investment is instrumental in reducing our carbon footprint and creating a more sustainable port environment in Halmstad,” underlined Jimmy Eklöf, Technical Manager, the Ports of Halland.

The Port of Halmstad also saw the deployment of an electric reachstacker, manufactured by Kalmar. The 587kWh cargo handling equipment is Sweden’s second. “Our employees took part in selecting the e-machine, with their insights proving invaluable. Their engagement ensured that we received a piece of equipment that fits our work needs and strengthens our working environment,” said Eklöf.

Also in November, the EU.OPS.Network got EU funds. The joint project of the ports of Aarhus, Bremerhaven, Gothenburg, and Stockholm received €18.8 million from CEF for the set-up of cold ironing infrastructure for container ships. “The project is a direct response to the new EU regulations that will come into effect in 2030, requiring ships over 5,000 gross tonnage to connect to onshore

power [OPS] while moored. Through OPS, container ships will be able to use electricity from the grid instead of generating their own power on board using diesel engines. This resulting in a reduced climate footprint, cleaner local environments, and improved working conditions in the ports,” the parties said in a press brief. Anne Zachariassen, EU.OPS.Network’s Project Coordinator and the Port of Aarhus’ COO, added, “We are very pleased that the European Commission and the CEF Committee recognize our high ambitions for the green transition. As some of Northern Europe’s most important ports, it’s fantastic that we can collaborate to reduce the shipping industry’s climate footprint, which is a global challenge we face together. OPS for container ships is a crucial part for all the ports involved.” Julia Christensson, Grants Manager at the Port of Gothenburg, detailed, “Through this project, the Port of Gothenburg will be able to build a high-voltage substation at the container terminal, which is a crucial part of the infrastructure needed to offer OPS to container ships. It is an investment of about €20 million, with nearly half of the funding coming from the project.” Her port estimates that by cold ironing in Gothenburg container carriers can spare the environment some 5,600 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.

In the middle of December 2024, the Port of Kalundborg shared that its OPS station, supplied by PowerCon, was commissioned in its East Harbour. The facility has enough capacity to provide electricity to three ships simultaneously. The Danish seaport said that up to 40% of vessels visiting it annually can connect to the new OPS installation, meaning that 28 ships can turn off their auxiliary engines when visiting Kalundborg.

Photo: Kalmar

Photo: Port of Helsinki

The Port of Kalundborg also underlined the role of the low electricity tax of 0.4 øre/kWh to incentivise shipping lines to draw power from the shore, a scheme that will run till 17 June 2027. “With our new plant, we can better meet the increasing demand for shore power, which we expect towards 2030 in

Year 2024 set in motion in the area of all-things-carbon with the Just Transition Fund supporting the establishment of a CO2 storage and shipment hub in the Port of Hirtshals with DKK109m (€14.6 million). The facility could be up and running in 2025/2026, with an initial capacity for handling 0.5 million tonnes per year for permanent storage in empty oil & gas fields in the Greensand area of the Danish part of the North Sea. If provided with a pipeline for transporting CO2 to the Port of Hirtshals, the carbon capture, utilisation and storage project of Greenport Scandinavia would be able to take care of 3.0 million tonnes/ year of CO2 in 2029, up to beyond 15 million tonnes/year in the early 2030s should the Danish and European infrastructure be integrated. “We are naturally pleased that the Just Transition Fund prioritises supporting the ambitious project, which aims to make the Port of Hirtshals one of the most important focal points for the storage and shipment of CO2 in Europe. The support means that we can, among other things, start establishing the facilities needed. We see the support as evidence that we are working on a unique project that can contribute to solving the enormous climate challenges facing the world,” Per Holm Nørgaard , the Port of Hirtshals’ CEO, commented. Søren Smalbro, Mayor of the Hjørring Municipality and Vice-Chairman of the Port of Hirtshals’ Board, also underlined, “There is no doubt that the establishment of a CO2 hub at the port is of great importance – not only for Hirtshals but also for the Hjørring Municipality and the rest of Northern Jutland. The CO2 hub plays a central role in the economic development of the Hjørring Municipality and will undoubtedly create new jobs in our area in connection with the construction and operation of facilities at the port. In addition, the Port of Hirtshals will attract new companies working on the green transition in the coming years, creating even more jobs.”

In mid-July 2024, the City of Pori and the Port of Pori commissioned Wega to conduct a preliminary study on the construction of an import/export terminal for handling liquid carbon dioxide. “The CO2 terminal

line with EU requirements. This supports our ambition to be at the forefront of the green transition and to create value for our customers,” commented Bent Rasmussen, the Port of Kalundborg’s Managing Director. Jacob Bjarkam, Head of Sales at PowerCon, added, “From PowerCon’s

Carbon

acts as a decisive catalyst in the construction of electric fuel and hydrogen production facilities in Pori. This is also supported by the region’s strong energy infrastructure and renewable energy production capacities that are either already under construction or on the drawing board, ensuring Pori’s position as a pioneer in the clean transition,” Lauri Inna , the City of Pori’s Mayor, highlighted. Earlier, the ports of Pori and Raahe have partnered to make sure the right infrastructure and handling capacities are in place so that the development of Finland’s (offshore) wind energy industry isn’t hampered, and that renewable energy is available to produce, among others, e-fuels with the use of captured biogenic carbon.

In late November last year, the Finnish Langh Tech shared that its onboard carbon capture (OCC) system was ready for installation. Following a trial on one of Langh Ship’s vessels, the Damen Shipyards Group would install the solution on four dry bulk carriers in 2025 (along with hybrid scrubbers). “The pilot plant has shown that it is possible to [achieve] capture rates [of] over 80% from the exhaust gas flow coming into the system. The overall CO2 emissions can

side, we are incredibly proud to have delivered the shore power system to the Port of Kalundborg and thus contributed to the green transition. We would like to thank the team from the Port of Kalundborg for good cooperation and praise them for showing the way towards a more sustainable future.”

be reduced at least by 20 to 30%, depending on the available space, and other ship and product specifications,” Langh Tech highlighted in a press release. The tech company from Piikkiö also underscored, “A unique feature of the system is the possibility to sell and utilise the sodium carbonate, which results at the end of the chemical process, for diverse applications in other industries [such as glass and detergent manufacturing].” Langh Tech’s OCC system applies a post-combustion technique, in which CO2-containing exhaust gases are directed into a capture unit. The carbon dioxide then dissolves into the liquid phase through a counter-currently flowing aqueous NaOH solution. The manufacturer says that a maximised surface area ensures the highest possible carbon capture rates. As a result of several consecutive reactions, CO2 is chemically bound into a thermodynamically stable product of sodium carbonate. With “[…] post-combustion capture, there is no need for solvent regeneration or CO2 compression, which significantly reduces the additional energy consumption on board, as well as the resources needed to operate the OCC system. No additional

Photo: Langh Tech

specialised equipment is needed. In turn, the capture reagent, sodium hydroxide, can be produced by electrolysis of sodium chloride using renewable energy,” Langh Tech explained. The company also underlined that its OCC system is adaptable and scalable, and can be used with different ship types. The bulker-installation is part of a project between Langh Tech, Atal Solutions , BAM Shipping , and the Damen Shipyards Group, the aim of which is to retrofit ships with different technologies for maximum CO2 as well as SOX and NOX emission reduction while using traditional fuels. The project’s goal is to axe ship CO2 emissions by up to 60% with OCC (coupled with other measures, including voyage planning). “The decision to choose Langh Tech was simple. CO2 capturing is the only economic way to drastically reduce emissions as of now. My main concern was the value of the CO2 end product being created on board the ship. Langh Tech delivered on every front: a high capture rate, a highvalue CO2 end product, and a significant reduction in emissions. From a commercial perspective, it made perfect sense. On a personal note, we share the same vision and goal: to green the global fleet. That alignment made Langh Tech the natural choice,” Rutger van Dam , Business Development Manager at the Damen Shipyards Group, commented. Edwin Sieswerda , Founder and CEO of Atal Solutions, added, “This partnership with the Damen Shipyards Group and Langh Tech showcases how innovative

In late February 2024, Energos Infrastructure’s 174 thousand cubic metres of capacity floating storage & regasification unit (FSRU) Energos Power berthed at Deutsche ReGas ’ terminal in the Mukran Port . The FSRU then underwent tests, feeding the German market with the Norwegian gas it received. Another FSRU, the back then docked in Lubmin Neptune , was expected to join Energos Power later in the spring of last year.

In April last year, news broke out that NATO will invest in a military seaport in Latvia. The Organization will spend some €160 million on setting up the necessary infrastructure in the Port of Liepāja . The investment will comprise new berths, supporting infrastructure, and dredging works. The new naval base will be erected at Karosta , which had already housed a military harbour in the past. The Baltic Times also recalled that the Latvian Ministry of

collaboration drives meaningful change. Atal’s vision and willingness to embrace bold solutions demonstrate how we can address the challenges of decarbonisation while unlocking economic and environmental benefits for the maritime sector. By investing in Langh Tech’s onboard carbon capture technology, we’re not just setting a new benchmark for sustainable shipping – we’re also paving the way for future projects and ongoing transformation in the industry. It’s a big leap, but one that aligns with our shared commitment to building a more sustainable future.” Laura LanghLagerlöf, Commercial Director of Langh Tech, summed up, “Our onboard carbon capture solution gives shipowners and operators the possibility to decarbonise and balance their costs. The scarcity and significantly higher costs of carbon-neutral fuels are a substantial hurdle to the decarbonisation of shipping. It will take time until those fuels can be widely used and afforded. We are here to bridge this gap and help companies to decarbonise efficiently and according to their abilities.”

At the beginning of December 2024, the Swedish Energy Agency granted SEK5.3 million support (about €460 thousand), within the Industrial Leap initiative, to Malmö CO2 Hub for establishing a carbon dioxide infrastructure in Southern Sweden (with a yearly capacity of 1-2 million tonnes). The funds will be used to carry out a feasibility study, to be completed in June this year, covering also the topics of transportation and final geological storage (possibly in Denmark or

Other port developments…

Defence announced in 2020 its intention to establish a 35-hectare military base in Liepāja.

In April, Lantmännen celebrated the completion of its Djurön investment. The Swedish agro-cooperative spent SEK100 million (about €8.7 million) on a ship loader and a cabin for its island grain terminal outside Norrköping. The investment enabled the organisation to load vessels that can take up to 60 thousand tonnes. Lantmännen’s Djurön 35-metre-tall terminal comprises 20 siloes and three kilns that together make it possible to handle 330 thousand tonnes of grains per year. The facility’s storage capacity amounts to 250 thousand tonnes. “The fact that our members, active Swedish farmers, should have a market for the grain they deliver is part of our core business. Hence, it is rewarding to be able to inaugurate the new boat loader and resume the export flows at the plant,” commented Elisabeth Ringdahl,

Norway). “By collaborating on a carbon capture, utilisation and storage infrastructure, we can achieve climate benefits not only for industry but also for Sweden as a whole. The project provides economies of scale and reduced costs for all participating companies, making it easier for us to contribute to achieving Sweden’s climate goals. This funding from the Swedish Energy Agency and our partners makes this possible, and establishes a model that other regions can derive inspiration from,” highlighted Henrik Norgren, Project Manager at Malmö CO2 Hub. The initiative, now in its third phase, is managed by Nordion Energi and involves Copenhagen Malmö Port, E.ON, Sysav, and Uniper. The Hub’s latest works are also supported by Växjö Energi and Öresundskraft. Before 2024 came to its conclusion, the Port of Kalundborg, together with 14 industrial partners, founded CCS Zealand, tasked with creating a carbon capture and storage value chain on the largest island in Denmark proper. “We see significant value in contributing to a unified and efficient value chain for CO2 management. By working together across sectors, we can strengthen the necessary infrastructure and share experiences that create innovative solutions for the benefit of both companies and society,” the parties underlined in a press brief. They also said, “CCS Zealand represents an important step towards realizing the ambitions for CO2 reduction and sustainable development. Together with our partners, we are working to make CO2 capture and storage a concrete and effective part of the green transition.”

EVP Agriculture Sector at Lantmännen. Magnus Kagevik , President and CEO of Lantmännen, added, “Continued investments in a well-functioning grain infrastructure are important for increasing growth and profitability in Swedish agriculture. The plant’s extensive storage capacity and export opportunities also contribute to Sweden’s food preparedness. In the event of national crises or international disruptions, export flows can be turned inwards and thus contribute to Swedish preparedness.” A month earlier, Lantmännen began constructing its new facilities in the Port of Uddevalla : 21 silos and two kilns. The new set-up will provide 41 thousand tonnes of capacity for storing, drying, and shipping grains (some 100 thousand tonnes/ year) via the Swedish port. The SEK500 million investment (€43.5 million), located in Uddevalla’s Western Harbour, will be completed by the construction firm Tornum in

2026, replacing Lantmännen’s current one in the Inner Harbour.

At the beginning of the summer of 2024, the Danish construction firm Aarsleff completed the New Farehamnen project it had been working on since 2021, erecting a brand-new 90 thousand square metre terminal area in Varberg for the Ports of Halland to ship more forestry products. The works included setting up a 360-metre-long quay plus a 140-metre-long pier as well as dredging down to 11 metres. Construction involved ramming 255 steel piles of 600 millimetres in diameter and measuring 35-to-50 metres as the foundation for the quay wall, upon which 223 slabs weighing 60-to-165 tonnes rested on 253 pile tops (both produced at Aarsleff’s cement factory in Poland).

Then, at the end of the summer of last year, the Port of Gothenburg inaugurated the operations of the brand-new, 144 thousand square metres Arendal 2 terminal it had been working on for the past six years at the expense of €60 million. Among others, some 180 thousand m3 of contaminated materials were dredged from the Göta River, which were then contained, stabilised, and solidified to form the foundation of the new (asphalted) terminal area. Gothenburg RoRo Terminal already uses parts of Arendal 2, which will also see the relocation of Stena Line’s ferry terminal. “Parts of the new spaces will be used by Stena Line when the shipping company begins relocating its local operations from its current

locations in the central parts of the city to the outer port area. The project has included preparations regarding filling, channeling, and water purification for a future ferry terminal,” the Port of Gothenburg shared in a press brief. Göran Eriksson, CEO of the Swedish seaport, also commented, “This terminal began planning as early as the 1990s and then we talked about future-proofing. Now that future is here, and this terminal is needed to meet the transportation needs of Swedish industry today, which are also expected to continue growing over time.”

In late August 2024, the Port of Trelleborg saw Skanska putting in place the 100-metre-long, two-lane ro-ro side ramp at the Ferry Berth No 13 (with TT-Line’s gas-run Green Ships using it after final inspection later in October). Installing the superstructure was part of the port’s EU-supported Digi-MoS project.

In early December 2024, the Finnish Outokumpu announced it would invest around €40 million in a plant for producing biocarbon, some 15 thousand tonnes per year, in the Mukran Port. The factory, slated for commissioning in H1 2026, will use secondary wood raw materials as feedstock. The end product, a fine granulate that looks like black sand, will be shipped to the Port of Tornio for further processing into biocoke pellets (with the pelletising plant ready in mid-2025). These will, in turn, be used by Outokumpu to replace coal and other fossil energy sources in various stages of

stainless steel production (with biocoke specifically used as a reductant in ferrochrome smelting). The waste heat generated by the ‘black sand’ plant will be fed into the district heating network on the island of Rügen. The Finnish company says that approximately 50% of its direct emissions could be reduced by replacing fossil coke with biocoke. “Outokumpu’s decision in favour of Mukran is the result of an intensive process. It shows how attractive our port is for companies that rely on multimodal transport chains. The planned delivery of raw materials by rail and shipment of the end product by ship will strengthen the site’s logistics diversity. With Outokumpu, we are not only gaining a world-leading company in its sector but also increasing the attractiveness for other potential industrial customers and supporting the transformation of the location with regard to new energy sources,” highlighted Fridjof Ostenberg , Mukran Port’s Managing Director. Outokumpu’s Chief Technology Officer, Stefan Erdmann, added, “Mukran Port convinced us with its combination of existing industrial space, modern infrastructure, and excellent hinterland connections. The short sea routes to Finland also enable efficient and more environmentally friendly logistics. We look forward to further developing this location together.” He also shared, “We are proud that our stainless steel has the lowest carbon footprint in the industry [1.52kg CO2e per kg of stainless steel in 2023], and we are

Photo: Port of Gothenburg

progressing steadily towards our target to reduce our emission intensity across our direct, indirect and supply chain emissions by 42% by 2030 from a 2016 base year. Currently, biocoke represents the best available technology to decrease our direct emissions and we are investigating also other innovations as well as the use of carbon capture technology to achieve further reductions.” Timo Huhtala , General Manager at Outokumpu EvoCarbon, also underlined, “Biomass-based raw materials offer exciting possibilities for Outokumpu to cut direct emissions. I’m proud of our

Towards end January 2024, Unity Line took hold of Epsilon . The 187 by 26 m ferry, offering room for 299 passengers and 2,860 lane metres for wheeled cargo and other vehicles, was then put on the Świnoujście-Trelleborg route (however, the ship hit Berth No. 7 in the Swedish seaport on 30 January midst thick fog, after which it had to undergo a hull check that took her out of service for a couple of weeks; no one was hurt during the incident and no cargo was damaged).

Also in January of last year, Lakeway Link , a JV between Greencarrier and Wallenius , got hold of the 1999-built Miramar Express . The 1,624 lane metres of capacity ro-ro was re-named Lakeway Express ahead of her launch on the Gdynia-Södertälje service later in May (with three weekly departures). Following the reconstruction of the Södertälje locks in 2026, the service is expected to expand to include the Port of Västerås on the Lake Mälaren. In the meantime, Lakeway Link struck an eco-fuel deal with ScanOcean , following which Lakeway Express sails on B15-DMA, a marine fuel with 15% renewable content. The bunkering operations of the ISO 8217-compatible and

team’s innovative thinking in developing an industrial concept that ensures technical readiness and financial viability for the new investment, driving progress in the green transition today. We want to take an active role in developing the biocoke market, which will give us scale-up and new business opportunities also going forward.”

Also at the start of December, Port Gdański Eksploatacja (PGE) shared it would spend some PLN400 million (about €93 million) on new infrastructure in the Port of Gdańsk ’s Inner Harbour for handling and storing agricultural products.

…as well as those from shipping

ISCC-EU-certified fuel take place in the Port of Södertälje .

In February 2024, Tallink Grupp confirmed the sale of Isabelle. It was Bridgemans Floatel Limited Partnership’s subsidiary from Cyprus, Notamare Shipping Company, who took over the ferry. The purchase was an exercise of the option included in the multi-year charter from April 2023 between Tallink Grupp’s subsidiaries Tallink Latvia & Hansalink and Bridgemans. The ferry, operating the Riga-Stockholm crossing before COVID-19 and offering room for 2,200 passengers (plus 970 lane metres for wheeled cargo), left Tallinn for Canada in December 2023. Isabelle joined Bridgemans’ fleet of floatels (floating hotels) the following month. “We are pleased that after nearly 11 years as part of the Tallink Grupp fleet and at the respectable age of 35, Isabelle will now continue to offer a valuable and muchneeded service, like the one she was able to offer here in Tallinn to the Ukrainian war refugees – safe accommodation – albeit this time to workers of major global industrial and resource projects,” Paavo Nõgene, Tallink Grupp’s CEO, commented.

On the 16 February last year, the cruise ferry Finncanopus of Finnlines departed

The investment will see the construction of nine grain silos, five on the Wiślane and four on the Szczecin Quay, modernisation of road, rail & port infrastructure, and the purchase of conveyor belts and Liebherr cranes – all to handle ships carrying up to 36 thousand tonnes. The project will increase PGE’s yearly storage capacity by fivefold, to 152 thousand tonnes, while its agricultural goods handling capacity will increase from 700 thousand to 2.9 million tonnes/year. The investment will also pave the way for setting up another agro terminal, dedicated to grains and feedstock.

from the Port of Naantali on her first voyage to & from Kapellskär via the Åland Islands. The sister ship of the autumn 2023-delivered Finnsirius also offers room for 1,100 passengers and 5,200 lane metres for cargo. The 235.6 by 33.3 metres Ice Class 1A Super ferries feature several emissionreduction technologies, such as air lubrication, batteries, scrubbers, and waste heat recovery. They also have ballast water treatment plants. Finnsirius and Finncanopus also take advantage of auto-mooring and draw power from the shore while berthed in Naantali and Kapellskär. During the Grimaldi Group’s XXVI Euromed Convention From Land to Sea, Emanuele Grimaldi revealed that we should expect three brand-new Superstar+ cruise ferries in the Baltic before long (this ones serving Finnlines’ Finland-Germany trade).

Before the month’s closure, Ellerman City Liners kicked off the Poland Express Service (iPEX), which connects the ports of Gdynia and Tilbury on a weekly basis. The 966-TEU-capacity Nova serves the crossing. iPEX joined Ellerman’s first Poland-England service (Gdynia-Teesport).

March 2024 got in motion with news that Samskip updated its Baltic Sea service

Photo: ESL Shipping

(kicked off in November 2023). The company added the Port of Klaipėda to the roster, exchanged Hull for Immingham, and increased the capacity by deploying two 803-TEU carriers. The service now connects the Baltic ports of Helsinki, Riga and Klaipėda with Rotterdam and Immingham.

Also in March, X-Press Feeders added the Port of Piteå to its Sweden Finland X-PRESS (SFX) service, operated by the 1,036-TEU Phoenix J. The rotation links the Baltic ports of Piteå, Tornio and Oulu with Hamburg and Wilhelmshaven. March also witnessed the selling of Urd by Stena Line to Sea Lines. The ferry that was at that time chartered to TT-Line and which previously served Stena’s HankoNorvik service (discontinued in the autumn of 2023) plies now between the Romanian Constanța and the Turkish Karasu, offering room for 186 passengers and 1,598 lane metres for wheeled cargo.

Still staying in March, Gotland Alandia Cruises’ Birka Gotland sailed on her maiden voyage on the 20 th, departing from Stockholm’s Stadsgårdskajen to the Port of Mariehamn. Subsequently, the cruiser (offering room for 1,800 passengers) was sailing each evening between the two destinations, also visiting Visby from time to time (the first trip to the island of Gotland was scheduled for 30 March 2024). Summing up his company’s JanuarySeptember 2024 performance, Jan Hanses, Viking Line’s President and CEO (together with Destination Gotland , the ferry line from the Åland Islands is 50/50 co-owner of Gotland Alandia Cruises), said, “The launch of service for Gotland Alandia Cruises has entailed additional one-off costs, and occupancy rates on the vessel Birka Gotland during the period up to June did not correspond to our expectations. Occupancy rates improved during the summer and are expected to remain at a good level during the autumn.” A total of 296,085 travellers boarded Birka Gotland till end-September last year. Adding another three months, and the cruiser served 438,743 passengers in 2024 altogether (out of 4,646,676 people who sailed with Viking Line last year, so 9.4%).

March also saw the Skagenheadquartered Terntank entrusting China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Yangzhou) with constructing a 15,000-deadweight tanker (with an option for another). The vessel will feature a dual-fuel engine able to sail on marine gas oil as well as bio-fuel (including methanol). The 14-segregation tanker will also be equipped with auxiliary wind propulsion, a battery system, and a connector for cold ironing. Delivery

is scheduled for Q1 2027, marking the 10 th ship built by China Merchants for the shipping company since 2014.

As of 10 April 2024, Finnlines’ ro-pax Finnfellow sails between the ports of Malmö and Świnoujście (Euro Terminal) on a daily basis. The 2000-built ferry, previously

serving the Malmö-Travemünde crossing, offers room for 440 passengers and 3,099 lane metres for cargo. “With our new Poland-Sweden route, we have opened up exciting opportunities for trade and tourism. This connection is highly important for both Polish and Swedish trade, as well

Photo: Wallenius Wilhelmsen

Photo: Polferries

Photo: Royal Bodewes

as for the countries’ security of supply, which Finnlines is committed to ensure,” commented Tom Pippingsköld , President and CEO of Finnlines, after the service’s first nine months. Marco Palmu , Head of the company’s Passenger Services, took the occasion to comment on Finnlines’ overall performance last year, “We are now focusing more on passenger travel, and the growth has been remarkable. In 2023, around 700,000 passengers travelled with us, while in 2024, the volumes increased to almost one million. Swedish travellers are coming to Poland for their summer holidays as Malmö is Sweden’s bridge to the rest of the world. We see tremendous potential in this connection and look forward to building this success.” We had the pleasure of trying out the

Malmö-Świnoujście service not long after its launch .

In April as well, Stena Line bought into Africa Morocco Link . The Swedish shipping line took a 49% stake in the Tangerbased company that offers a ferry service between Tanger Med and Algeciras. The crossing is operated by two ro-paxes: Morocco Sun (room for 1,001 passengers and 850 lane metres for cargo) and Morocco Star (935/755), both built in 1980. Additionally, Africa Morocco Link kicked off the Tanger Ville-Tarifa high-speed route for passengers and private vehicles last summer. “We are always looking to secure new business opportunities that will make us last and be resilient in the long run. The Strait of Gibraltar is a strategic location for passengers travelling between Africa and Europe

as well as for global trade, and freight volumes in the area are expected to grow in the upcoming years due to the positive industrial growth and international trade in Morocco,” Niclas Mårtensson, Stena Line’s CEO, underlined. He added, “These routes, their ports, and the surrounding industries are under development and expected to drive a healthy freight market growth in the coming 10 years. It is a very exciting area to be able to operate in.”

Next, April also saw the launch of Nerthus , the all-electric passenger-car ferry for the Danish Alslinjen (subsidiary of Molslinjen), by the Turkish Cemre Shipyard . Once deployed, the 116.8-m long ferry will offer room for 600 passengers and 188 vehicles across the FynshavBøjden crossing. Nerthus will feature technology for automatic docking and charging its 3.1MWh battery system (supplied by Echandia). Cemre Shipyard is also constructing Tyrfing, a sister ship for the BallenKalundborg link (as the service is longer, she’ll have a bigger battery pack of 3.8MWh).

Also in April, the Dutch Royal Bodewes was entrusted by the Finnish Meriaura with an order for new freighters. The two 105-metre-long, 6,750-deadweight, Ice Class 1A Ecotraders are planned for delivery in January and December 2026. The pair will sail on biofuel made from recycled raw material produced by Meriaura’s subsidiary VG-Ecofuel .

In mid-June 2024, DFDS sold the OsloFrederikshavn-Copenhagen (OFC) service to Gotland Company for around DKK400 million (about €53.6 million). The deal included the crossing’s ferries Crown Seaways (room for 2,168 passengers and 1,482 lane metres for wheeled cargo) and Pearl Seaways (2,044/1,370), port agreements, and terminal equipment. Some 800 employees in route operations and support functions also moved to the new owners. The OFC, kicked off together with DFDS’ establishment in 1866, mainly functions as a cruise ferry service nowadays, serving around 700 thousand leisure passengers annually.

On 27 July 2024, Polferries’ brand-new ferry Varsovia entered the ŚwinoujścieYstad service. The 216-metre-long ship offers room for 920 passengers and 2,940 lane metres for cargo. The ro-pax, built by Visentini Shipyard in Italy according to a design by NAOS Ship and Boat Design, replaced the company’s Cracovia (650/2,196) and Baltivia (250/1,408). The former went on a charter in the Mediterranean (as of 1 July 2024). Polferries chartered Varsovia for 10 years.

Photo: Ferus Smit

Photo: AtoB@C Shipping

In August of last year, Finnlines rearranged its West Finland-Baltic Germany ro-ro service. The company re-established its Turku-Uusikaupunki-Travemünde rotation, this time with the addition of the Port of Rostock . The new service is operated with Finnpulp, which offers 3,259 lane metres for cargo.

Then in September, Finnlines added Southeastern England to its FinlandBelgium-Spain ro-ro service. As of the 23rd , the company’s three Finnecos (each offering 5,800 lane metres of cargo capacity) call to Peel Ports’ London Medway in the Port of Sheerness on a weekly basis. The rotation links the ports of

Helsinki / Kotka-Sheerness-Antwerp / Zeebrugge-Bilbao/ Vigo.

In October 2024, another (elderly) ferry left the Baltic. The Greek Paxos Island Maritime took over Mercandia VIII from Öresundslinjen, with the 1987-built (by North East Shipbuilders in the English Sunderland) ferry leaving Landskrona, where she was laid up, for Piraeus. The 95.8 by 15 metres ro-pax, renamed Corfu Star, offers room for about 400 passengers and 290 lane metres for wheeled cargo/cars.

October also saw the coming of a new direct Sweden-Far East Asia service.

COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers kicked off the one-per-month route that sees vehicles (with room for project cargo) transported between Gothenburg (Car Terminal operated by Logent Ports and Terminals), Singapore, Xinsha , Tianjin and Shanghai Cars made in Sweden and China flow in opposite directions, with heavy-duty vehicles also transported increasingly more from Asia to Europe. The new service is operated with COSCO’s latest series of vehicle carriers that are 199.9-metre long and 38-metrewide, each offering a capacity of 7,500 across 13 decks (four of which are height-adjustable designed to accommodate high & heavy shipments). The carriers run on liquefied natural gas. According to COSCO’s own calculations, these gas-run vessels offer a 27% CO2 reduction vs conventional fuel propulsion. “With this service, our Swedish customers can also avoid transshipment in other ports or pre-transport by road to more distant ports. Overall, this provides significant advantages for those looking to reduce their transport emissions,” underlined Erik Lund Eriksen, Partner Director at COSCO Shipping Lines Nordic

In October as well, the Finnish ESL Shipping entrusted China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Nanjing) with constructing four hybrid, multi-fuel vessels in an €186 million investment that also includes an option for more newbuilds. The 17,000-deadweight, 150 by 23.77 metres, 1A Ice Class freighters will enter traffic between Q3 2027 and Q1 2028. The ships will have the possibility to run on hydrogen-based e-methanol or biomethanol. “The design of the vessels and comprehensive model tests have been carried out together with the leading Finnish ship designer Deltamarin and the Swedish SSPA model test facility. ESL Shipping has been closely involved in the design of the vessels to ensure that they are fully tailored to meet local customer needs. The majority of key equipment, such as powertrain including battery hybrid drive, cargo handling

Photo: Port of Gothenburg

Photo: DFDS

Photo: Gotland Alandia Cruises

equipment, and many other leading technologies come from European companies,” ESL Shipping underlined in a press brief. Earlier, in March 2024, the Finnish company sold two Supramaxes. Arkadia and Kumpula were handed over to companies of HGF Denizcilik Limited Sirket, a Turkish shipping and logistics group, in April-May 2024. ESL Shipping received €37.1 million for the 56,000-deadweight, 197-metre-long, Ice Class 1A, 2012-delivered vessels.

In mid-November 2024, X-Press Feeders introduced its new Baltic-North Sea service. The Benelux Scandinavia Baltic X-PRESS (BSB) links the ports of Antwerp, Rotterdam, Fredericia, Gdynia, Gävle, and Rauma on a weekly basis. Two vessels serve the rotation: the 1,036-TEU X-Press Agility and the 1,436-TEU Essence. The company also said the service includes an option for inducement calls into other Bay of Bothnia ports. A few days later and ONE also launched a new Baltic-North Sea feeder service. The Japanese container shipping line introduced the SCX (Scandinavia Express) service that links the ports of Rotterdam, Gothenburg, Helsingborg, Aarhus, and Copenhagen Cape Ferrol (1,440 TEUs of capacity) and Langeness (1,781) serve the loop.

An entirely separate section could (and should) be devoted to ship deliveries & orders made by Swedish shipping lines in 2024. First, in January, Erik Thun upped its order book to 15 by ordering four vessels . The Swedish shipowner entrusted the Dutch shipbuilder Ferus Smit with delivering two multipurpose

vessels of the Lake Vänern Max class and two coastal tankers within the R-Class family. The former will be 5,100 deadweight and have the 1B Ice Class (in total, Erik Thun will receive six such ships). The R-Class tankers (ordered by Thun Tankers, part of the Erik Thun Group) will be methanol-ready. With the latest two, the R-Class series will amount to eight. The first, Thun Resource (1A Ice Class, 114.95 by 15.87 metres, 7,999-deadweight, 9,540 m3 of carrying capacity), was delivered by Ferus Smit just after the latest order announcement. The newbuilds will feature battery packs and connectors for drawing

electric power from the shore. An intermediate product tanker in the Vinga series complements the order book, scheduled for completion over 2024-2027.

In February 2024, Wallenius Wilhelmsen ordered more Shaper Class pure car & truck carriers (PCTC). The company decided to exercise the option of having Jinling Shipyard (Jiangsu) deliver four additional dual-fuel methanol/ammonia-ready PCTCs. The first 9,300 CEU-capacity Shaper Class vessels will start being delivered from H2 2026. The four additional PCTCs will be handed over in May-November 2027. Then, in October,

Photo: Finnlines

Photo: Port of Uusikaupunki

the Norwegian-Swedish shipping line decided to make four (out of 12 ordered) car carriers bigger, adding six metres in length and two in width, thus making it possible to have 14 instead of 12 decks. The enlargement will up the car carriers’ capacity to 11,700 CEUs. Like their sister ships, the bigger ‘Shapers’ will feature dual-fuel, methanol-capable engines. In November, Wallenius Wilhelmsen placed yet another order for two additional 11,700CEU PCTCs at China Merchants Jingling Shipyard, plus decided to up-scale two earlier orders from 9,300 to 11,700 CEUs. As such, the company has 14 Shaper class vessels on order, eight 11,700 and six of the 9,300-CEU range. The shipping line also holds options for two more vessels (declarable by H2 2025).

March of 2024 witnessed the launch of Ahlmark Lines’ newbuild. The dry bulker constructed by the Dutch Royal Bodewes was the first in a series of two 5050 Eco Traders (the sister ship was scheduled for delivery in Q4 2024). The Ice Class 1A, 5,000-deadweight, 90-metre long dry bulk carrier for the Karlstad-headquartered Swedish shipping line was granted the Cleanship notation by BV.

In March last year, Wallenius Lines bought a car carrier, the 6,000-CEU capacity Höegh Chiba (renamed Auto Way) from the Norwegian Höegh Autoliners. The company shared in a February 2024 stock exchange release that the vessel was sold for $61 million; at the same time, Höegh Autoliners bought the 6,500-CEU Höegh Jeddah for $43.2 million. The 2006-built Auto Way was jumboised by 19.2 metres in 2012 (according to the lengthening design provided by the Danish KNUD E. HANSEN).

In April 2024, the Longkou shipyard of CIMC Raffles delivered the car carrier Future Way to Wallenius Marine. The 199.95 by 37 metres, dual-fuel (gas-run) vessel offers 6,500-CEU capacity. She is currently employed by Volkswagen under a 10-year charter. Way Forward , Future Way ’s sister ship, also began working for the German car manufacturer as of September 2024. Both car carriers of the Sleipner class, designed by Wallenius Marine and KNUD E. HANSEN, feature several eco-solutions, including optimised hull design, a shaft generator of active front end type (said to cut up to 10% of emissions), multi-fuel engines (liquefied natural gas and its bio version, plus regular and synthetic diesel), and connectors for drawing shore electricity while berthed. Also, when fully loaded, the two car carriers don’t need ballast water.

In late October 2024, Ferus Smit launched Lidan and Spiken , the first in a series of six 4th generation of dry cargo freighters designed for trading through the Trollhätte Canal and in the Lake Vänern. Each 80 by 13.35 metres, 5,100-deadweight, 1B Ice Class vessel offers 206 thousand cubic feet of capacity across two holds. “With a large diameter propeller operating within a nozzle, it delivers increased thrust at lower speeds, reducing power demand during challenging seaways and ice-breaking operations. This advanced design allows us to reduce the installed main engine power by 18% without compromising performance, resulting in decreased fuel usage and carbon emissions,” the ships’ owners from Erik Thun highlighted in a press release. The two first Trollmaxes

also feature battery packs (for peak shaving and power smoothing), optimized bulb forms, transom shape, and closed bridge wings. Lidan and Spiken can also connect to an onshore power supply facility.

Before last year’s end, Sirius Shipping entrusted China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Dingheng) with the construction of four oil products/chemical tankers. The 119.9 by 19.4 metres, 1A Ice Class, 7,999-deadweight tankers will offer 9,700 cubic metres of capacity in MarineLINE coated tanks, making it possible to handle 11 grades of cargo. The vessels will be equipped with 420kWh batteries for peak shaving, as well as 1,000kW connectors for drawing electricity from the shore. The Evolution 8K class was jointly designed by Sirius Shipping and FKAB. These joined the shipowner’s order book of two 15,000-deadweight oil products/chemicals, methanol-ready tankers, the first of which will be delivered by China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Yangzho) in 2026.

Lastly, AtoB@C Shipping continued its fleet renewal last year, seeing the launch/ delivery of five 5,400-deadweight Battery Hybrid Coasters, with Terramar, Maximar, Aquamar, Ecomar, and Stellamar joining the December 2023-delivered Electramar. The latest one, Terramar, should start plying for the Ystad-based company in Q1 2025, marking the halfway point in the completion of the altogether 12 newbuildings series (constructed by the Shipbuilding Division of the Indian, Goa-based Chowgule and Company). Each 89.95 by 15.95 metres, 7,650 m3 of cargo capacity vessel has the 1A Ice Class and can draw power from the shore. ‚

Photo: Janne-Petteri Kumpulainen/Port of Naantali

Fintraffic VTS joins BPO

by Monika Rogo, Communication Manager, BPO

A subsidiary of Fintraffic (a special assignment company with 1,200 professionals operating under the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Finland that oversees the country’s traffic management across land, air, and sea through its specialised subsidiaries), Fintraffic’s Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) is responsible for maritime traffic management. The Baltic Ports Organization (BPO) warmly welcomes its newest Member to a dynamically growing family of diverse parties that strive after future-fit transport & logistics in the Baltic Sea region and beyond!

“We are excited to join the Baltic Ports Organization. The Baltic Sea is a home sea for Fintraffic, and the Baltic Ports Organization is a natural reference group for us as we strengthen our presence in the region. We have been following BPO for a long time and are well aware of the great work it is doing. We look forward to cooperating with ports and other maritime stakeholders,” underscored Olli Soininen, Head of Programs at Fintraffic VTS.

Fintraffic VTS provides vessel traffic services and maintains a maritime safety radio broadcast service. The organisation informs ships of other traffic in the area as well as any other issues that may affect their passage, such as weather conditions, ice, or safety equipment failures. Fintraffic VTS also controls traffic and provides navigational assistance where necessary.

To those ends, Fintraffic VTS runs two centres, in Helsinki and Turku. Together, they monitor an area that encompasses all coastal merchant shipping lanes and the Saimaa deep fairway. Helsinki Traffic, which operates in the Gulf of Finland VTS Centre, also oversees the international sea area of the Gulf of Finland (among others, with Estonia). The jointly

established GOFREP ship reporting system covers the entire Gulf of Finland (excluding national VTS areas). Traffic in the South Åland Sea TSS is monitored by Åland Sea Traffic at the Western Finland VTS Centre. Turku Radio, on duty on the channels around the clock, is responsible for safety broadcasts along the Finnish more-than-long coast, including navigational warnings, maritime weather forecasts, and ice reports. During winter, Turku Radio also broadcasts the vessel and route information on behalf of the icebreakers.

Fintraffic VTS is also dedicated to advancing core traffic control services and developing innovative solutions for data-driven and digitalised services. In mid-2024, Fintraffic VTS expanded its digital port services with the real-time vessel and port information POLO Port Activity app (used by 20+ seaports in Finland, alongside another couple of hundred different organisations). The company has also contributed to a number of projects, including eVäylä (on the digitalisation of maritime transport calls for better information exchange and real-time situational picture); the Finnish Maritime Single Window NEMO

(to be introduced this year); Maritime Data Space (for sharing data generated by ships to optimise vessel traffic, help reduce emissions, and solve logistical challenges in ports); Sustainable Flow (which aims at creating more environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable maritime logistics by creating a digital tool and concept for reducing CO 2 emissions); MaDaMe (Maritime Data Methods for Safe Shipping, an initiative tasked with developing digital fairway services and cyber-secure communication between maritime authorities and vessels); ORMOBASS (Operational R-mode Baltic Sea System to support resilient navigation); and DigiMar (improving maritime navigation safety with the use of tech tools, such as teaching videos and speech recognition chatbots). Fintraffic VTS also took part in a few already concluded projects, including STM EfficientFlow (increasing ship call efficiency in the ports of Rauma and Gävle with the help of real-time information) and STM Balt Safe (improving the safety of maritime transport in the Baltic Sea by providing maritime transport services for tanker traffic, enabled by the Sea Traffic Management concept). ‚

BPO, in an industry-wide open letter, addresses the EU Member States

by Monika Rogo, Communication Manager, BPO

The Baltic Ports Organization (BPO), alongside 44 other parties from across the transport & logistics sector, has submitted an open letter to the Ministers of the General Affairs Council and the Ministers of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council, outlining the reasons a competitive and resilient Europe requires a stronger EU transport budget.

The new European Commission (COM) is currently working on a reform of the EU budget. Under the proposed plan, transport infrastructure financing would be streamlined into a single funding programme for each Member State. As a result, funding for the Connecting Europe Facility, a vital tool for developing transport infrastructure and achieving the objectives of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) policy, would be reduced. BPO asserts that only by ensuring sufficient financial instruments at the EU level can

the development of a pan-European transport network, including ports, be effectively secured.

The new COM should also recognise ports as a crucial component of the TEN-T policy. Given the current geopolitical landscape, the significance of ports has grown, as they play a vital role in energy security, the supply of critical goods to societies, and military mobility. Ports also contribute to decarbonisation, not only within their own operations, but across the maritime sector and industry as a whole. To enhance their role within the broader EU

transport network, boost the competitiveness of European industries, and ensure the supply of green energy, ports must be prioritised in the block’s investment policies. This is especially critical in regions like the Baltic Sea, where security concerns are particularly pressing.

“In fact, a robust European transport network is of strategic importance in responding to Europe’s current challenges. Only with strong and state-of-theart transport infrastructure at its core will Europe be able to ramp up its military mobility, strengthen its industrial competitiveness and economic, social and territorial cohesion, ensure its supply of critical raw materials, and safeguard its supply chain sovereignty. With rising geopolitical tensions and ongoing climate change, it must be Europe’s top priority to strengthen and adapt our infrastructure, address bottlenecks and missing links, and optimise its connectivity and capacity. Transport is the backbone and enabler of the EU internal market, so if Europe is to be a leader in the shift to a net-zero industry and society, it needs to provide a competitive and efficient transport network to link the current and new production sites with their markets,” the parties stressed in the open letter. ‚

Pin up & down

by Johann Bergmann, Team Leader Port Technologies, Fraunhofer CML , Dr. Holger Müller, Systems Engineer, HHLA Sky, and Britta Sommer, Project Manager, HHLA Container Terminal Tollerort

Modern container terminals are complex logistics facilities connecting the flow of goods by water, road, and rail. Although the automation of cargo handling and transport processes is progressing, numerous supporting activities are still operated manually. One of these activities is the pin adjustment on container railway wagons. Even in container terminals with a high level of automation, the handling of railway pins is performed by terminal employees. This article addresses an innovative automation approach for handling rail wagon pins by mobile robots.

The manually conducted process of pin handling has the potential for automation. Pin handling is a repeating activity with an unambiguous output. Due to container handling activities, the working environment is of high risk for terminal staff, whose skills could be better allocated to other operations. In addition, manual pin handling makes the automation of railway cranes more difficult because an automated crane mustn’t operate in a manned area. Finally, depending on the terminal size and modal split, the terminal operator must keep a certain number of employees for manual pin handling, taking into consideration their (planned and unplanned) absence.

HHLA has recognized that the automation of pin handling can bring about an increase in safety plus save operational costs. The potential in automation would also lead to the expansion of rail handling, an increase in competitiveness and, in the long term, securing jobs.

No solution? No problem!

Since the market does not offer commercial products for automated pin handling, HHLA has decided to invest in the corresponding development work. In cooperation with the organization for applied research in the maritime sector Fraunhofer Center for Maritime Logistics and Services CML, the Pin-Handling-mR

research project has been launched in October 2022. The German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport supports the initiative through the IHATEC (Innovative Port Technologies) programme. Besides Fraunhofer CML, the project stakeholders include HHLA Sky, Metrans, and Hamburg Port Consulting. The project’s objective is the conception, development, and testing of a robotic-based solution for pin handling. In this constellation, Fraunhofer CML is contributing with expertise in automation and mobile robotics. HHLA Sky, which operates an integrated control center (ICC) for drones, is responsible for its adaptation to the control of the ground-based pin-handling robots. HHLA, with its extensive expertise in terminal operations, provides the field test environment at its Container Terminal Tollerort (CTT) in the Port of Hamburg.

The software…

The technical approach is composed of two core elements: the ICC and the mobile robots. The former, originally used for commercial drone operations, has been extended to control ground-based vehicles. This extension required thorough consideration of the significant differences between flying drones and vehicles driving down on the ground. For example, the distinct skill sets, expertise, and certifications needed for operators, as well as

the adherence to stringent procedures and regulations, had to be considered.

In the process of extending the ICC, an interface to the terminal operating system (TOS) was defined specifically for pin handling. The backend software pulls relevant data over this interface, such as container train schedules and loading schemes. Based on this data, the ICC generates a set of waypoints for the location of each pin, which must be adjusted. These are compiled into a mission, also including the target positions of all the pins. A terminal employee selects such a pin-handling mission by choosing a container train and the robot. They approve the start of the mission and monitor the progress remotely. In the case of unexpected events – and after the adjustment of all pins on the respective train – the ICC notifies the terminal employee for further actions. During the mission, the ICC displays relevant information, such as robot and mission status.

… and hardware

The concept of the mobile robot is based on the composition of ‘off-the-shelf’ hardware components enabling the realization of functions defined at the project’s beginning. The key requirements for the robot were autonomous driving and safe collision avoidance, detection of specified pin types & their manipulation, and low-latency communication with the ICC.

For that, a wheeled platform has been equipped with a set of sensors for safe autonomous driving. A 32-beam LiDAR reliably detects obstacles so the robot can stop if necessary. In combination with a stereo camera, it supports navigation on a narrow path between the train tracks. For pin adjustment, a robot arm with a payload of up to 20 kilograms and an outreach of 1.75 metres has been selected.

To fulfill HHLA’s safety expectations, the robot arm is a so-called ‘cobot:’ if a defined resistance is encountered when operating the arm, the movement stops. This safety feature is crucial since the robot potentially shares its working area with terminal staff.

The actual pin manipulation is carried out magnetically by connecting a magnet gripper to the robot’s arm. A second camera is mounted on the arm, which not only detects the pin, identifying its type and status (flipped up/down) but, in addition, determines the exact distance to the pin. This is crucial for calculating the final manipulation trajectory, such that the magnetic gripper lands precisely on the pin. For pin detection, a deep learning model has been trained to take into consideration different weather and light conditions.

From lab to ground

Once the ICC and robot concepts were designed, the individual functions were developed by HHLA Sky and Fraunhofer CML. Function tests were conducted parallel with the development activities, and correction measures could be implemented accordingly.

For testing the individual robot functions, a mock-up of a container-carrying wagon with real pins was built in the laboratory at Fraunhofer CML. The pin detection

and pin manipulation have been extensively tested and tuned. This approach enabled commencing field tests with a functionally mature robot system. The interruptions to daily operations remained insignificant.

After all foreseen ICC and robot functions have been developed and individually tested, they have been integrated. In the ongoing project phase, the partners are testing the mobile robot at CTT, focusing on the realization of integrated missions and observing the robot’s behavior under demanding weather conditions. Occasionally, minor faults occur, but they are being resolved during operation.

As the project is in its final stage, the partners can summarize some findings. The existing ICC for drones was successfully adapted without re-inventing the wheel and designing a completely new robot control center. The transition of container train

loading schemes from TOS to pin-related waypoints, with significant accuracy, has been realized successfully. The hypothesis that standard hardware components available on the market, in combination with the development of robotics functions according to given requirements, can be successfully composed into a well-functioning robotic system has been confirmed.

More robust

HHLA Sky, HHLA CTT, and Fraunhofer CML have contributed significantly to the automation of pin handling within the joint project. Upcoming activities will concentrate on making the application more robust: the perception approach can be extended to rarely occurring pin types, the robot platform design will be further optimized, and more attention is to be paid to the interaction between the ICC and the TOS. ‚

Johann Bergmann holds a university degree in Industrial Engineering and Management. He has been with Fraunhofer CML since 2021 and is in charge of the Port Technologies research group. The project activities cover the safe, economical, and low-emission design of processes in ports. The major focus refers to the automation of cargo handling and inspection activities. Prior to joining CML, he worked as a project manager in the Port Equipment Sales Department of Liebherr Rostock, being responsible for international projects related to harbour mobile cranes, reachstackers, and other port handling equipment.

Dr. Holger Matthias Müller has joined HHLA Sky in 2022. As a Systems Engineer, he is responsible for the development of new software and hardware solutions. Amongst others, Dr. Müller is engaged in the field of artificial intelligence and computer vision. He also coordinates and manages research projects. Before joining HHLA Sky, he accomplished his doctorate at the University of Hamburg’s Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, and worked there as Research Associate and Postdoctoral Researcher.

Britta Sommer has worked at HHLA for over 25 years. She has been involved in project management in various terminal development projects at Container Terminal Tollerort since 2012, particularly in rail projects to increase handling capacity through automation.

Photo: Fraunhofer CML/Marius Nuernberger

Photo: HHLA/Thies Rätzke

The DIVMALDA research project

The future of – proven –maritime GHG reporting

by Hannah Pache, Research Associate

in Team Maritime Informatics, Fraunhofer CML , and

Hinrich Brumm, Head

of Industry Group Mobility & Outdoor Automation, SICK AG

Decarbonization and digitalization have been the most used words in the maritime industry since 2008. The whole sector faces major challenges in mastering digitalization and big data to improve efficiency, green ship operations, and emissions reporting. The DIVMALDA project by Fraunhofer and SICK AG aims to develop real-time, automated solutions for catching accurate emissions data to support CO2 certificate trading and climate change compliance.

Ship operators are under increasing pressure: it’s not just government agencies or port authorities that expect them to provide reliable reports on their ships’ CO2 and/or greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; more and more customers are doing the same. These groups need data on the scope 3 emissions generated by their supply chains for reporting purposes and to help ensure they meet their own climate change targets.

However, accurate calculation of ship emission footprint is not yet fully feasible. For example, most vessels have multiple tanks of fuel with different specifications, leading to manual calculations and potential reporting errors. Automated reporting with verified data could significantly reduce this manual effort, minimizing the potential for error and supporting reliable statements on ship GHG emissions.

Assumptions

& outdated data

The vast majority of regulations do not use current and actual emissions as a basis for calculation. Instead, they make assumptions or use outdated data from test bed protocols (e.g., the EIAPP certification under MARPOL Annex VI Reg. 13).

For those regulations where data collection is mandatory (e.g., CO2 under EU Monitoring, Reporting and Verification, MRV, or under the International Maritime Organization’s Data Collection System, DCS), data is mostly collected and reported manually on board the ship. For those regulations where continuous monitoring is required (e.g., IMO MEPC.259 scrubbers), data remains locally on the ship and is only checked when necessary. Even voluntary incentive programs rely on manually generated and individually verified reports (e.g., the Clean Shipping Index and the Environmental Port Index).

Emissions trading is becoming increasingly important in the maritime sector. From January 2024, the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) covers the carbon footprint of a ship 5,000 gross tonnage and above calling EU ports, regardless of its flag. The scheme covers 50% of emissions from voyages that either start or end outside the EU, allowing the third country to address the remaining emissions, and 100% between two EU ports and within the block’s ports. While the EU ETS currently covers CO2 emissions only, it will also include emissions of CH4 (methane) and N2O (nitrous oxide) from 2026.

Cyber-secure, real-time, easy to install & maintain, emission-monitoring black box

The DIVMALDA – Digitisation and Verification of Marine Live Emission Data research project is addressing the challenge of harvesting accurate data. The aim of it is to exploit the multiple potentials of digitization for a verified and digitized emissions reporting system for an ecologically and economically optimized ship operation.

The major challenges for DIVMALDA lie in the combination of measuring ship emissions (including exhaust mass flow rate using appropriate sensors), validating and verifying the measured data, and making this set available on a suitable data and analysis platform.

The aim is to provide a basis for increased transparency and efficiency through automated emissions reporting, including communication with various systems (e.g., MRV, DCS, the Carbon Intensity Indicator, voluntary incentive programs, etc.) as an integrated system aboard ships. The system will combine sensor technology, data validation and verification, and an appropriate platform for data exchange.

DIVMALDA will test newly developed sensor systems and a real-time digital reporting system for emissions data in two real-life demonstrators on board a container ship and a harbor ferry. The results are expected to be industrially scalable and usable within two to three years of the project’s completion. The validation of the data and the secure processing in a possible data space will ensure the authenticity and security of the data as well as its transmission and processing in such a way that the credibility of the results obtained can be accepted by classification societies and authorities. Establishing a technological solution for real-time emissions monitoring that is also accepted by class will simplify processes and provide opportunities for use by both shipping companies and port authorities. The new system will save time and reduce potential data errors, providing a clear economic benefit for owners-operators, increasing the potential for their market success.

The overarching aim of DIVMALDA is to lay the foundations for a cost-effective system design, ensuring affordability and applicability to a wide range of vessels. Another key goal is for the system to require minimal maintenance, reducing long-term operating costs and simplifying the user experience. Installation and retrofitting will be straightforward, as the system will be designed as a ‘black box’ that can be easily integrated into any exhaust stream on board larger vessels. In addition, robust cyber security measures will be incorporated to protect against unauthorized access and ensure the security and integrity of data.

Team effort

SICK AG and Fraunhofer Gesellschaft (within the Fraunhofer Institute for Software and Systems Engineering ISST and Fraunhofer Center for Maritime Logistics and Services CML) have joined

Hannah Pache completed her M.Sc. in naval architecture and ocean engineering at the Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH).

During her master’s degree, she specialized in data-driven insights and solutions for the maritime industry and continued her research as a Research Associate at TUHH’s Institute of Maritime Logistics. Since August 2021, she has been a Research Associate at Fraunhofer Center for Maritime Logistics and Services CML, specializing in maritime informatics.

Hinrich Brumm graduated with his master’s in environmental protection technology in Hamburg and started his career at Germanischer Lloyd in 1997. During the next 15 years, he was responsible for the type approval certification and the on-board plan-approval of continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMS), any kind of class- and statutory exhaust emissions approval, like EIAPP and IAPP. Followed by three years as a senior consultant at MARENCON, since 2014, he has been in different positions at SICK AG, where today he heads the Industry Group Mobility & Outdoor Automation.

forces to create the future of maritime GHG reporting.

SICK AG is responsible for project coordination and the provision of existing sensor technologies, as well as the development and testing of a novel CO2 measurement system for direct exhaust gas measurement.

Fraunhofer CML develops and optimizes processes and systems along the maritime supply chain, having relevant expertise, experience, and references in the fields of maritime technologies, emissions, and shipping. Accordingly, the collection and evaluation of emissions data are carried out by CML.

The experts at Fraunhofer ISST explore the value and sovereign handling of data. Through contributions to initiatives such as the International Data Spaces (IDS), Gaia-X AISBL, and industry-specific developments, they contribute to the creation and establishment of safe data spaces, as well as to the integration of data and systems. Sovereignty over one’s own data is a crucial success factor for automated emissions trading, as the acceptance of market participants is significantly influenced by their willingness to share data. The IDS reference architecture serves as a technical trust anchor.

The research is supported by DNV, CPO Containerschiffreederei, Flotte Hamburg, and the Hamburg Port Authority, who are associated partners and actively involved in testing and demonstrating the newly developed technologies. DIVMALDA is funded as part of the Maritime Research Strategy 2025 by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) from July 2024 to June 2027. ‚

Photo: Canva

How

Capturing a greener future

by Laura Langh-Lagerlöf, Commercial Director, Langh Tech

Innovation is at the core of Langh Tech. Since our founding a decade ago, we have seen several new rules and regulations enter force to make the maritime industry more sustainable, which have all played their part in shaping Langh Tech into what it is today. Originally, the company was founded as a solution to the 2015 designation of much of Northern Europe as a sulphur emission control area, aiming to provide a more efficient scrubber system to sister company Langh Ship’s fleet than the other options on the market at that time. Since then, we have kept challenging ourselves to help the industry become greener, expanding our portfolio with several other tech products, with onboard carbon capture (OCC) being the latest project.

With OCC, it has been important for us to get ahead of the regulations and take action pre-emptively. Carbon capture is emerging as a key technology in the transition of shipping towards net zero as it provides a cost-effective addition to other decarbonisation options. There are no established solutions on the market yet, which is why we wanted to take on this ambitious project of paving the way and getting the innovation race started. After the decision was made to start the R&D process, it didn’t take long to go from an idea brainstormed at a meeting to a finished, commercialised product. From pilot trials in 2024 to the first commercial project being scheduled for installation this year, the project glided with great success.

Unique design

Langh Tech’s OCC system utilises a unique circular approach. Unlike many other carbon capture technologies, ours does not apply an absorption-desorption cycle, which results in a significantly lower increase in energy requirements than most amine-based systems. Instead, our system utilises a post-combustion technique, only including the first part of the conventional two-step process where the ship’s exhaust gases containing CO 2 are directed into a capture unit.

The CO2 in the exhaust gas dissolves into the liquid containing sodium hydroxide (NaOH), commonly known as caustic soda. Thanks to a counter-currently flowing solution and maximised reaction surface area within the unit, the highest possible carbon capture rates can be achieved. Following several consecutive reactions, the CO2 is eventually chemically bound into the thermodynamically stable product of sodium carbonate.

After the capture step, the sodium carbonate that is dissolved in a liquid phase is transported into a storage unit for offloading at the port. This enables avoiding the typically applied second step of regeneration, where the CO2 is released from the solution and further compressed and liquefied. This significantly reduces the additional energy requirements for the system and, thus, a higher increase in fuel consumption. Once the vessel arrives at the seaport, the liquid containing sodium carbonate can be offloaded by pumping and further utilised in land-based industries, contributing to the circular economy.

Langh Tech’s OCC systems are designed with flexibility in mind, both considering the ease of use and the design. The size can be adapted and scaled according to the specific needs of each vessel. This approach ensures a seamless integration of the technology into the existing ship

infrastructure, offering a practical solution for a wide range of ship types.

Sustainability from beginning to end

Throughout the product development, it was important to make every step of the process sustainable, from the reagents required to the end product generated.

The capture reagent, sodium hydroxide, was selected due to several of its qualities. On top of its advantages in chemical properties, sodium hydroxide can be produced via the electrolysis of sodium chloride (NaCl), i.e. table salt, using renewable energy sources. This ensures a substantial reduction in emissions and maximises the overall environmental benefits throughout the product’s life cycle.

As for the end product, the sodium carbonate can be further utilised by a variety of other industries, including the manufacturing of glass and detergents. Currently, the sodium carbonate sector predominantly relies on extracting ores from the Earth’s crust. The low-carbon alternative that the OCC process provides thereby contributes to the decarbonisation of these related industries as well.

Langh Tech’s OCC system allows simple operation processes which do not require new specialised equipment. The used chemical has already been applied and is wellestablished in the maritime industry.

From functional to optimised

With a ship-owning company within our group, we have always had the shipping point of view as a driving force, and with that in mind, we have seen the changes affecting the industry as a challenge to improve our own fleet. This has also provided us with a good test platform for our products before taking them to a wider market, which is also where our OCC trials were conducted.

In the spring of 2024, after several months of land-based testing, the first pilot system was installed on board Laura, one of Langh Ship’s freighters. The initial testing phase was a valuable learning experience, which led to an even deeper understanding of the system and its chemistry. Several improvements were made before finalising a product that could be put on the market.

The testing period last year was highly successful, proving that the pilot system’s performance corresponded with the theoretical estimates. But while it’s good to have a functional system, it’s even better to have an optimised one! That is why we fully utilised the pilot installation to push the system to even better performance. The system’s performance is a compromise between several factors, including capture efficiency, energy requirements, and product quality aspects. During testing, we gained the confidence to bring maximum momentary capture rates up to 90% from the exhaust gas coming into the system while ensuring the capture product fulfils purity requirements.

Since the pilot, the design of the OCC system itself has also been iterated. Several end-product storage solutions have also been considered throughout the process, landing at choosing each solution

individually for the client’s needs. We are also continuously working on improving the performance even further by, for example, conducting research on increasing the reaction area within the system to improve capture efficiency.

What’s next?

Besides the first commercial installation later this year, Langh Tech will also be

installing the OCC systems on three of its sister company Langh Ship’s newbuildings that will be delivered starting spring 2025. We are also looking forward to engaging in different kinds of projects, which will generate new ideas on how to even further improve the system and fit the diverse needs of various vessels. We are excited to see what kind of opportunities 2025 will bring along to push our innovative skills even further! ‚

The Finnish, Piikkiö-headquartered Langh Tech designs and produces scrubbers for SOX removal from exhaust gases, water treatment units for closed-loop scrubbers, as well as ballast water management systems. In addition to component delivery, the company takes care of commissioning and offers installation supervision, crew training, and after-sales services. In 2024, Langh Tech added an innovative onboard carbon capture system to its portfolio to aid shipping in the industry’s decarbonisation efforts. Sail to langhtech.com to discover more.

Photos: Langh Tech

How a digital strategy can support condition-based safety

Getting in good condition

by Gurinder Singh, Director of Technical Sales, ABS Wavesight

Vessel operators are focused on reducing operating risk and achieving compliance with an increasing spectrum of regulations that support safety on board ships. Beyond the baseline requirement, creating the conditions for safety is increasingly reliant on the coordination of multiple sources of data, actions, and responsibilities that result in the desired outcome. Replacing manual systems with a data-driven process and structure can promote a smarter approach to safety as well as to compliance.

This trend is becoming embedded in the maritime industry, with the shift toward goal-based standards that create a higher dependence on data analysis. Regulations employing a risk-based approach, put forth by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), are increasingly reflected in class requirements, providing a clear path away from manual processes to data-driven decision-making.

More than enough to focus the attention

A growing body of regulation and industry guidance emphasizes how to manage risk based on an understanding of conditions. This means adopting a proactive approach that transitions from discrete tasks, with a high and inbuilt risk of failure, to robust, data-driven events. When the safety chain breaks – risk grows.

The need is, therefore, for a smarter, stronger process that uses data to join stakeholders together. This is as true aboard the ship as it is in the fleet management control center.

For example, mooring line safety is not often at the top of one’s mind; rather, like other pieces of equipment, it gains attention when something goes wrong. Samson Rope’s Robin Collett told a recent industry conference that “a typical mooring line break releases the energy equivalent to a two-tonne vehicle hitting a wall at 220 km per hour” – more than enough to focus the attention.

The revision of the SOLAS regulation II-1/3-8 and its associated guidelines by the IMO was undertaken to develop new guidelines for safe mooring operations for all ships in order to prevent unsafe and unhealthy work situations during mooring operations. The amended regulation entered

into force on 1 January 2024, together with revised guidance on shipboard towing and mooring equipment. Also published were further guidelines on the design of mooring arrangements and the selection of appropriate mooring equipment and fittings for safe mooring.

The industry continues to produce material guidance that helps vessel operators manage operational risks. One of the most important factors to consider is the mindset shift of how maintenance of such components is managed and how to get the correct information in front of the right people.

Challenge leads to solution

Effective compliance with the IMO rules on safe mooring is just one example. Any rule change or revision that puts a significant compliance burden on a vessel operator needs a solution employing data

management to be effective. Data can be used to support practical experience and drive better decision-making. There are, however, limited software options that can manage this process. Our conversations with clients tend to focus on the need to move these problems toward datadriven outcomes that tie into existing fleet management software. As such, a voyage management system should be capable of capturing and reporting enough information to support compliance without increasing risk.

By collecting data on an event-to-event basis, such as mooring or unmooring –including all daily inputs such as weather conditions and likely stress on components that may affect performance – it’s possible to present the operator with a risk-based approach to condition, required maintenance, and likely replacement timescales. Being able to tailor this data can mean that vessel operators have a simpler path to compliance and a clearer view of conditions and the need for intervention. ABS Wavesight’s Nautical Systems software, for instance, can combine the operational reporting

features with the technical management need and use workflow automation functionality to direct the required tasks to the responsible vessel team.

With maritime regulations moving progressively away from subjective and prescriptive standards toward a probabilistic, risk-based approach, asset owners, as well as managers and crews, can make better decisions.

Enabler

rather than complication

In the longer term, the ability to monitor conditions remotely is an enabler of smarter, potentially remote inspection based on realtime equipment quality. The ability to leverage inspection without manual intervention has benefits across the board, providing the conditions of safety are satisfied.

The chances are that many routines of

this type are still being managed on spreadsheets. In an era when software can be leveraged to support safety and compliance in day-to-day maintenance planning, datadriven decision-making makes sense. A condition-based approach means vessel owners and operators can take timely action based on verifiable data. Building process and structure means that technology becomes an enabler for safety and compliance – rather than a complication.

Indeed, the decision not to adopt integrated systems means operators will increasingly struggle to demonstrate compliance with regulations. The opportunity brought by digital transformation is big enough that we have to ask: is the industry doing enough to adopt condition-based methods that enhance safety, or will the regulators have to drive that, one resolution at a time? ‚

The maritime intelligence landscape has become incredibly fragmented, making it difficult to discern credibility. As an independent subsidiary of the American Bureau of Shipping, ABS Wavesight is a SaaS company built on a legacy of maritime and environmental stewardship. Our products are collectively installed on more than 5,000 vessels across the global fleet and are backed by over 160 years of maritime innovation and experience. Sail to abswavesight.com to discover more.

Photo: ABS Wavesight

THOMAS

DOEPEL

President & CEO, Finnlines

The shipping company’s up-to-date Vice President & Deputy CEO will succeed the retiring Tom Pippingsköld. Holder of two diplomas in seafaring (Watchkeeping Officer and Master Mariner) from Sydväst Maritime, a Master’s in Economics from Åbo Akademi University, and an MBA in Shipping & Logistics from the Copenhagen Business School, Doepel has been with Finnlines since 2010, starting as Head of the Purchasing Department. He also sailed with Tallink Silja and directed Arctia Shipping’s HR.

TRACY JIN

Business Development Manager, Port of Esbjerg

Jin – an alumna of Business Academy South West (AP degree in Marketing & Marketing Management), Coventry University (BA in International Business), and the University of Southern Denmark (MBA in Enterprise Development) – joined the Danish seaport from Bosch, where she worked as Logistic Process Coordinator. She was earlier, among others, with Bosch’s Holger Christiansen (as Assistant Manager and then Supply Chain Specialist).

THOMAS A. KAZAKOS Secretary

General, ICS

Kazakos, an LL.B from the University of Leicester and an LL.M in European and International Trade Law, began his career at the Cyprus Employers and Industrialists Federation prior to joining the Cyprus Shipping Chamber. Internationally, Kazakos has represented Cyprus on the board of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the European Community Shipowners’ Association, besides being an Administrative Board Member of the European Maritime Safety Agency.

JAN VAN MOSSEVELDE CEO, Baltic Hub

Van Mossevelde, a seasoned industry professional with over 38 years of experience in the port and logistics sector, has moved within the PSA family from the post of CEO of PSA Halifax in Canada to now lead the Baltic’s biggest container terminal. Earlier, he held senior commercial, operational, and general management roles within PSA’s business units in Belgium (Hessenatie Terminal in Antwerp) and Italy (Genoa).

HENRY FORSTER

Managing Director, Mukran Port

A native of Sassnitz, Forster brings extensive experience in successfully developing and transforming the energy performance of companies and industrial sites. His track record includes Nehlsen AG in Bremen, GOA mbH in Baden-Württemberg, and, most recently, Ihlenberger Abfallentsorgungsgesellschaft mbH. Forster took over the position at the helm of the German port after Harm Sievers, who successfully led Mukran Port for many years and retired in the autumn of 2024.

HANNU KALLIO

CEO, Port of Naantali

Kallio – who has been with the Finnish seaport since 2018, having started as a development engineer and then also worked as a development manager and operations manager – has been promoted from the post of Chief Operating Officer. He is also the Finnish Ports Association’s Environmental Working Group’s Vice-Chair. Kallio, an alumnus of the Turku School of Economics and LUT University, also worked for, among others, Yara Finland and the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.

OLE LUND MADSEN

CFO, Port of Rønne

A Bachelor in Business Administration from the Copenhagen Business School and a graduate of several management programmes (London Business School, IMD, DTU Business), Madsen joined the Danish island seaport from DBI, where he was Deputy CEO & CFO. He was also the CFO at INFUSER. In his rich career, Madesn also worked for Maersk, starting as a trainee & assistant manager and leaving as Head of Commercial Business Performance Management for North Europe.

JACQUES VANDERMEIREN

Regional VP Europe, IAPH

The Tokyo-based International Association of Ports & Harbors (IAPH) has welcomed the CEO of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges (now in his 9 th year behind the steering wheel) to its board to oversee the organisation’s European activities. Vandermeiren – a Master in Law as well as in Economics from KU Leuven, who also finished INSEAD’s Advanced Management Programme – also sits on a number of other boards, including Royal Antwerp F.C., NxtPort, Kunsthuis Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, and Vascobelo.

INTERFERRY2025

CALL FOR SPEAKERS OPENS IN APRIL MEMBER REGISTRATION OPENS MAY 1

Interferry2025 will be held at the Hilton Sorrento Palace Congress Center. Located within the conference hotel – the Hilton Sorrento Palace – the Congress Center will be a fantastic venue. As always, our event will feature topical speakers and sessions; ferry leaders panels; outstanding networking opportunities; and a technical tour. Sponsors and exhibitors will enjoy a large exhibition area in which to display their products and services to conference attendees For the latest info check the conference website, follow our social media and subscribe to our mailing list.

“Interferry invites delegates to Interferry2025 as we return to the Mediterranean region. Join us for our 49th Annual Interferry Conference in Sorrento, Italy from October 4 – 8 hosted by the Grimaldi Group!”

Mike Corrigan – CEO, Interferry