Baltic Transport Journal 3-4/25

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Baltic Transport Journal

SUSTAINABILITY

Unlocking decarbonisation with energy independence

Why onshore power supply is crucial for ferry decarbonisation

TECHNOLOGY

Flexible shore power solutions for European ports

MARITIME Ship happens! Interview – Wasaline LOGISTICS

Navigating the modern challenges facing project cargo shipping

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 had a proper summer break, perchance as a ferry or cruise traveller in our beautiful Baltic Sea region. In its southern parts, the weather was rather summer-ish; but like many things in life, it depends on your liking – of the particular temperature indications, how strongly the wind teases your tangles, or how frequently rain ruins your coiffure altogether. While my Mum would label the summer of 2025 as ‘nightmarishly autumn,’ I more than enjoyed the long forest treks without the sun boiling my doggies (and my brain, for that matter). And that’s also the case with transport & logistics: circumstances alter cases. As a case in point, you’ll find in this issue, in the Venture forth column, an apt quote from Wasaline’s boss, who stressed that one could either yell one’s guts out against the eco-regulations or break one’s own ceiling to capitalise on the change. Another bit, this from What’s in the Cabinet , shares laments about the latest IMO deal that, according to the organisations mentioned in the news, will fall short of decarbonising the shipping industry. The voices continue that the EU should further push its green agenda to encourage other corners of the world to up their ante. In contrast, other opinions praise the IMO and keelhaul the EU for championing regional regulations. And so on, and so forth.

Amid such uncertainties, we’re doing our best to leave no stone unturned in shining a veritable rainbow of perspectives on a given topic. Take, for instance, sustainability. This issue tackles it from the point of view of energy independence (with sludge as your unexpected hero here), next-level ship supply, and onshore power supply (OPS) that goes beyond cold ironing. The 3-4 edition looks at performance through the lens of buying a new grab for dry bulk handling, digital tools, and perseverance after a business start that was a far cry from hitting the jackpot. Technology includes another OPS read, this one focusing on its flexibility if the EU and its seaports really want to energise their quay game, so to speak; how machine learning can crunch data on, among other things, vessel-type performance (plus whether you should buy a certain ship now or maybe postpone the purchase); and why and how storage is one of the key ingredients in ‘baking’ hydrogen a marine fuel of the future. Speaking of data – the Logistics section goes detailedly into the (still) persisting gap between what terminals think they deliver and what shippers think they get. The column also hosts an article that underpins the notion that hardly anything beats experience, especially with handling project cargo. In this context, nothing bests reading a journal that has your back when it comes to all things transport & logistics!

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

ASHISH ANILAN, NICHOLAS BALL, ROBERT BLADES, WILL FRAY, ALEXA IVY, JEHAN KANGA, DAVE LEE, FREDERIK LERCHE-TORNOE, MONIKA ROGO, FITZWILLIAM SCOTT

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:

PRZEMYSŁAW OPŁOCKI tel.: +48 603 520 020 Cover Port of Esbjerg

Rainbow at Sea and a Crossing Hunt with other Ships (1836) by Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, photo: Artvee

3 REGULAR COLUMNS

62 Events: Determination despite uncertainty

ECG’s 2025 General Assembly & Spring Congress by Przemysław Opłocki

64 Events: Hundreds of maritime and defense companies will meet in Gdańsk this October by Fitzwilliam Scott

66 Who is who

Bridging regulatory pressure and business continuity

How to enable greener & smarter compliance across the maritime sector by Frederik Lerche-Tornoe

Still plenty of room for growth

Interview with Marc-Oliver Hauswald, CEO, JadeWeserPort-Marketing by Przemysław Myszka

Ship happens!

Interview with Catarina Fant, Director Brand, Communications & Sustainability, and Tony Ehrs, Director Cargo, Wasaline by Przemysław Myszka

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.

46 Sweden and Lithuania chart the course to zero-emission shipping by Monika Rogo

48 The Baltic and Norwegian cruise markets – report by Monika Rogo

49 BPO lunch debate in Brussels by Monika Rogo

50 TECHNOLOGY

50 Beyond the grid

– Flexible shore power solutions for European ports by Dave Lee

52 Coming out of the dark

– How machine learning can drive smarter decisions in today’s shipping markets by Will Fray

54 From hype to reality

– Novel storage solution promises to position hydrogen as a safe & viable marine fuel by Ashish Anilan, and Dr Jehan Kanga

56 LOGISTICS

56 Lost in transhipment

– Bridging the gap between terminals and shippers by Ewa Kochańska

59 Added cost value

– Interview with Shinichi Kakiyama, President, NX Europe by Przemysław Myszka

60 Out-of-gauge times

– Navigating the modern challenges facing project cargo shipping by Robert Blades

LogiChain Expo, 16-18/09/25, PL/Nadarzyn, logichainexpo.com/en

The event will showcase innovations in logistics and supply chain management, focusing on automation, digital platforms, and smart technologies that transform transport, warehousing, and distribution. The Expo will also house the Smart Logistics Forum for experts to share insights on the digital transformation and future-ready logistics solutions.

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

This year’s edition will focus on all things changing – geopolitics, the port market, green investments, digitalisation, military mobility, threats & risks to transport & logistics, and much more! BPC 2025 will coincide with the Baltexpo exhibition (incl. a tour around the fairgrounds), plus feature a gala dinner and a boat tour in the Port of Gdańsk.

BALTEXPO – 23rd International Maritime and Military Fair, 7-8/10/25, PL/Gdańsk, baltexpo.eu/en

The trade fair is a place where key players in the maritime sector have been meeting for over 40 years to create the future of the industry, together forming a unique platform for establishing strategic business contacts and exchanging knowledge & experience in the maritime and military industries.

GreenPort Congress 2025, 15-17/10/25, MT/Valletta, portstrategy.com/greenport-cruise-and-congress

GreenPort Congress is a meeting place for the port community to discuss and learn the latest in sustainable environmental practice. It offers ways to reduce their carbon footprint and be more sensitive to environmental considerations, both of which are vital to future success.

TransLogistica Poland , 4-6/11/25, PL/Warsaw, translogistica.pl/en

TransLogistica Poland is a place where shippers and cargo owners can find comprehensive and highest quality logistics services for their goods. The exhibition is also perfect for showcasing a variety of telematics and fleet-management solutions to transport companies, including local and international carriers.

Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference (OEEC), 25-26/11/25, NL/Amsterdam, oeec.biz

TOEEC is a leading international event in the offshore energy industry (wind, hydrogen, oil & gas and marine energy) held each year in Amsterdam that serves as an essential gathering point for professionals, experts, and companies active in the offshore energy sector and beyond.

Świnoujście

Rostock

Trelleborg

Klaipėda

(PERSISTENT) LACK OF GENDER DIVERSITY IN MARITIME

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association ( WISTA) have published the second Women in Maritime Survey with data from IMO Member States and the private sector on the proportion and distribution of females working in the maritime sector. Because more IMO Member States partook in the survey, the 2024 figure of 176,820 women in the industry is higher than the 151,979 from 2021. Yet, the latest data set shows that women account for just under 19% of the total workforce sampled (vs 2021’s 26%) and only 16% in the private sector workforce cohort (excluding seafarers; at sea, women account for just 1% of the total number of seafarers employed by the surveyed organisations). While greater female representation was found in emerging sectors such as ESG and decarbonisation services, others, such as bunkering and legal, recorded a decline. The report also provides detailed recommendations on how IMO Member States and the industry can contribute to improving gender diversity in maritime – by enhancing recruitment and retention initiatives, expanding mentorship and leadership development programmes, strengthening policy implementation, and guaranteeing safe and supportive working environments. “Attracting, retaining and promoting women – both on land and at sea – remains a priority moving forward. However, the new data also shows how opportunities across the industry continue to be limited for women due to barriers such as gender stereotyping, workplace safety concerns, a lack of family-friendly policies, and the ongoing gender pay gap,” noted Elpi Petraki, President, WISTA International.

CYBER RESILIENCE GUIDELINES FOR EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES IN THE MARITIME SUPPLY CHAIN

The new set of cyber-security guides , prepared by the International Association of Ports & Harbors ’ ( IAPH ) Data Collaboration Committee ( DCC ) with the support of IAPH member ports & experts as well as the World Bank and the World Economic Forum , assesses the particular cyber risks associated with the increasing use of emerging technologies in ports. Specifically, the publication deals with quantum, artificial intelligence, drones, the internet of things, 5G, automation, and green energy in terms of their potential beneficial application to enhance cyber resilience, likewise to pinpoint risks and vulnerabilities. The Guidelines also cover the measures that can be taken to detect, mitigate, and protect against cyber threats. Moreover, the document features a chapter that addresses training & education needs to support emerging cyber-security technologies, while the concluding section outlines critical emerging technologies that should be addressed in maritime cyber-security legislation, why they are necessary, and the relevant regulatory bodies that need to be involved. “The implementation of emerging technologies in the maritime supply chain is getting wider, which is precisely the reason why it is important to raise awareness to implement cyber security by design. That means preparing now, not after an incident,” commented Gadi Benmoshe , Managing Director of Marinnovators Consulting and Lead Author of the Cyber Resilience Guidelines. In 2021, DCC produced the IAPH – Cybersecurity Guidelines for Ports and Port Facilities , subsequently adopted by the International Maritime Organization as part of its cyber risk management guidelines. Then, The Mindshift to Innovation in Ports white paper was put forth, alongside Risk and Resilience Guidelines for Ports

Photo: Canva

Photo: WISTA

SUSTAINABLE CREWING GUIDELINES

Hailed as the first-of-a-kind, the nine-point Guidelines aim to improve working conditions amid the shipping industry’s 17-year high workforce shortage (a forecasted shortfall of 90,000 trained seafarers by 2026). The ‘what good looks like’ list was put together by the Global Maritime Forum (GMF) and 12 major shipping companies following years of research and real-world pilots involving over 400 seafarers. The Guidelines address challenges related to abuse and harassment, work-life balance, and onboard facilities to make life at sea safe & inclusive, and attract the next generation of talent. “Despite the world’s 1.9 million seafarers keeping $14 trillion worth of global trade moving, the maritime sector continues to fall short in worker protection and treatment, making a career at sea less safe and appealing, contributing to high attrition rates. Preliminary research carried out to inform the Guidelines showed that 25% of seafarers experience harassment and bullying (rising to >50% for female seafarers), 90% report having no weekly day off, and many are isolated with limited or no access to internet services at sea,” GMF stressed in a press brief. The organisation furthered, “Struggling with inexperience, fatigue, and insufficient resources, workers face an increased risk of accidents, endangering both crew members and ships. It is estimated that 75-96% of accidents and incidents at sea involve human error (Allianz) and that 15-20% of all fatalities are linked to fatigue (Science Direct).” Susanne Justesen, Director of Human Sustainability at GMF, said, “We need a complete re-think of what good looks like when it comes to seafarer well-being. While existing measures like the Maritime Labour Convention provide minimum standards for working conditions at sea, we hope the Sustainable Crewing Guidelines can serve as inspiration to those companies that want to go beyond the bare minimum – and lead the way for the industry to become both safe, attractive, and sustainable for seafarers.” The nine points call for establishing clear expectations of respectful and professional behaviour; zero tolerance for abuse and harassment; setting rank-specific criteria for tasks, training, and appraisals; ensuring appropriate equipment and facilities for all; providing a reliable daily connection to the wider world; reducing isolation by building supportive communities; offering flexible contract lengths and respect contract terms; providing paid parental leave; and continuously collecting feedback and taking action.

FEMALE CADET PROGRAMME

The V.Group (V.), a global ship manager and provider of marine services, and the International Seaways (INSW) tanker company, have launched a programme that’s specifically designed to enable more gender diversity at sea. It aims at creating a more female-friendly working environment on board, including access to gender-specific facilities, workwear, safety equipment, and health & wellness programmes. Female cadets will join two dedicated and adapted training ships in September 2025 and will be supported throughout their first rotation by INSW female senior officers. These initiatives, along with an onboard culture training programme, will be used to establish best practices for a safer and more inclusive environment at sea to benefit

all seafarers. “Female seafarers represent a wealth of untapped talent for the maritime industry. […] We call for all hands on deck in championing a safe and supportive workplace for everyone. We recognise that when people have equal opportunities to thrive in their roles, the entire industry benefits and grows,” highlighted Lois Zabrocky, CEO, INSW. Her counterpart at V., René Kofod-Olsen, added, “This programme is not only a natural extension of our long-standing partnership with INSW, but it’s also a must-win battle for the entire industry. Enhancing diversity on all fronts is a commercial and strategic advantage. It ensures we have the best talent in our teams and are able to deliver on our promise of operational excellence at sea.”

DIGITAL TECH VS PARAMETRIC ROLL

Particularly affecting container ships, ro-ros & ferries, and car carriers, parametric roll happens when a vessel experiences large rolling motions as it moves in waves. A hard-to-predict phenomenon, it poses a threat to vessel, cargo, and crew safety. ABB and CMA CGM have partnered to integrate the latter’s theoretical framework into the former’s OCTOPUS Marine Advisory system. By detecting and helping to prevent extreme parametric rolling, the new algorithm will help enhance operational safety by reducing the risk of accidents, vessel damage, and cargo loss at sea (thus also protecting the marine environment from oceanic pollution). CMA CGM will deploy the solution across its global fleet (with some 200 ships already OCTOPUS-equipped) and offer comprehensive user training services for the users (also to be available to the wider

shipping industry). “Recent developments in the maritime sector have focused increasingly on safety and sustainability. Our partnership with CMA CGM on the parametric roll algorithm underscores our commitment to improving vessel safety and operational efficiency as well as contributing to environmental protection. By providing a tool that helps to mitigate the risks associated with parametric roll, we are taking a meaningful step forward in the global shipping industry,” underlined Tomas Arhippainen, Business Line Manager, ABB. CMA CGM’s VP Group Operations, Emmanuel Delran, added, “This solution not only enhances safety and operational efficiency but also helps to minimize risks for cargo damage and loss at sea. This collaboration represents a major leap forward for the industry, enabling more efficient operations and safer voyages.”

Photo: Global Maritime Forum

Kombiverkehr: 780,000 containers, swap bodies, and semi-trailers carried by rail in 2024 (-5% yoy)

Of these, international shipments amounted to 600k units (-6% year-on-year), while in-Germany traffic accounted for the remaining 180k (-3% yoy). “Kombiverkehr is […] feeling the effects of the deepest economic slump, which has far exceeded the dimensions of the 2008/2009 crisis,” commented Armin Riedl, Kombiverkehr’s Managing Director. His fellow MD, Heiko Krebs, added, “Unfortunately, the many construction activities are at the expense of quality and often lead to further train delays, which we very much regret.” Riedl furthered, “There is a risk of a shift back to road transport, which must be avoided. Price adjustments need to be predictable and made with a sense of proportion. Combined transport needs the complete exemption of pre- and onward carriage from tolls, as proposed by the EU Commission in the draft EU CT Directive. Those who transport their consignments in an environmentally friendly way should benefit from a corresponding bonus.”

Finnlines: 439 thousand private & commercial passengers served in H1 2025 (+7.3% yoy)

The company’s fleet also carried 399 thousand ro-ro cargo units (-0.2% year-over-year), 584 thousand tonnes of non-unitised freight (-11.2% yoy), and 37 thousand vehicles (excl. private cars; -21.3% yoy). “The first six months of the year indicate that the latest fleet development plan implemented in 2024 was correctly designed. While the freight market continues to show no signs of recovery, our ro-ro fleet rationalisation and investments made in passenger traffic are beginning to take effect. This, in combination with reduced debt and falling interest rates, explains the significant improvement in results,” Thomas Doepel, Finnlines’ President and CEO, commented on the January-June 2025 figures.

The Port of HaminaKotka: 329,758 TEUs handled in H1 2025 (+14% yoy)

Though import traffic contracted by 12.2% year-on-year to 2.13 million tonnes, exports advanced by 13.9% yoy to 4.99mt, thus making total international trade served by the Finnish seaports rise by 4.6% yoy to 7.12mt. On the other hand, domestic freight traffic lost 82.1% yoy, down to 19.5kt.

Hupac:

949,000 road consignments carried by rail in 2024 (-2.6% yoy)

“Since the beginning of 2025, we have been routing some of our Belgium-Italy traffic through France instead of Germany. This enables us to counter the risk of irregularities and increase the reliability of our transport operations,” noted Michail Stahlhut, CEO of Hupac. He also stressed, “If there are significant additional costs, we expect the infrastructure managers to make concessions. After all, the current performance crisis is the result of structural neglect and underfunding in the past.”

Eckerö: 101,886 ro-ro cargo units carried in H1 2025 (+18% yoy)

“We never had such high passenger volumes, so many freight units, and such a sound result for the first half of a year,” Björn Blomqvist, CEO of Rederi Ab Eckerö, commented to Ålands Radio & TV. The company’s Helsinki-Tallinn ferry service saw 975,460 passengers (+8.8% year-on-year), while the Eckerö-Grisslehamn crossing carried 459,545 (+5.4% yoy). Altogether, 1,435,005 travellers were served (+7.7% yoy).

Photo: Eckerö Linjen

Photo: Kombiverkehr

The Port of Ventspils:

4.48 million tonnes handled in H1 2025 (+14.5% yoy)

With 2.4 million tonnes, a yearover-year increase of 66.5%, liquid bulk topped the Latvian seaport’s cargo traffic in the first six months of 2025. Wheeled (ferry) cargo came in second, totalling 808kt (+20.6% yoy). Coal transshipment from Kazakhstan totted up to 656kt (+ 22.7% yoy). “Historically, the Port of Ventspils was developed as a hub for large-scale fossil fuel cargo, with powerful terminals for the handling of oil products and coal. Any geopolitical fluctuations in this cargo transit have a direct and significant impact on Ventspils. It is gratifying that some terminals have managed to restructure their operating models, replacing the historical East-West transit with a model based on ship-to-ship cargo import, storage, processing, and export,” commented Igors Udodovs, the seaport’s Acting CEO.

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The Port of Tallinn: 6.82 million tonnes handled in H1 2025 (+3.5% yoy)

The handling of liquid bulk noted the sharpest increase of 52.1% year-over-year to 986 thousand tonnes. Wheeled cargo (ferry & ro-ro), Tallinn’s prime trade, saw a downtick of 5.3% yoy to 3.29mt. Dry bulk advanced by 0.6% yoy to 1.21mt. Containerised freight totalled 1.04mt (+1.4% yoy).

TEU traffic amounted to 128,039 (+2% yoy). Break-bulk rose by 14.2% yoy to 267kt, while goods classified as ‘non-marine’ grew by 331% yoy to 30kt. With nearly 3.66 million ferry & cruise travellers, Tallinn’s passenger traffic was up 0.8% on the H1 2024 result. The ferry crossing to Helsinki accounted for 3.25m (+1.2% yoy), followed by 232k on the Stockholm route (-9% yoy). The Muuga-Vuosaari link welcomed 92k (-1.1% yoy), while passengers labelled as ‘other’ totted up to 20k (-0.3% yoy). Cruise traffic gained 24.8% over H1 2024 to, altogether, 67k guests. “We see a continuous increase in liquid bulk, which is related to the movement of project-based goods of European origin. In terms of bulk cargo, growth has been driven by the transport of grain, crushed stone, and wood pellets. The number of passengers has also increased, including 4.3% [yoy] on the Tallinn-Helsinki route [in Q2 2025], which celebrated its 60 th anniversary this summer,” Valdo Kalm, Chairman of the Port of Tallinn’s Board, detailed the results.

The Logistics node in southeast Sweden – with exciting business opportunites

THE PORT OF KARLSHAMN is one of Sweden’s major ports and is strategically located in the south, facing the ”new” Europe. There are plenty of industries and major consumer areas in the surrounding region. Customers all over the south of Sweden and Denmark can be reached from Karlshamn within 3–5 hours. Karlshamn has lots of development areas offering direct access to the port, intermodal rail terminal, E22, Logistics cluster and

environmentally friendly energy. The port, with it’s business mindset, is constantly developing and expanding. There is ongoing expansion of the RoRo-port with a 3:rd berth and widening of berth no. 2 for 230 m long vessels. Also shore-to-ship power connection, extended line-up areas and more. Large investments are planned for development of the rail infrastructure.

Photo: Port of Tallinn

New grain silo in Gdynia

HES Gdynia Bulk Terminal commissioned a flat grain warehouse with a total capacity of 64,000 tonnes, located at the Silesian Quay in the Port of Gdynia. The four-separate-compartments facility features an integrated transfer conveyor system, plus truck & railcar loading and bottom-discharge points. Before long, HES Gdynia will add three other grain-handling silos (21kt of additional capacity in total). “This expansion will increase our grain export storage capacity by 150% and ramp up our annual handling potential by 1.0-1.5 million tonnes, enabling more efficient, scalable logistics for Poland’s agricultural producers and exporters. It will also allow us to service both Panamax and Capesize vessels with greater efficiency,” the terminal operator said in a LinkedIn post.

Helsinki’s West Harbour to get bigger

YIT Infra has been tasked with expanding the southern end of the West Harbour in a project worth €28 million. The contract covers the large-scale construction of the quay and the field area, including the demolition of existing structures, dredging, filling, as well as the fabrication and installation of quay elements, technical systems, and surface infrastructure. Some 120,000 m3 of soil will be dredged from the site, and around 250,000 m3 of quarry will be used for construction purposes. The expansion will provide 12,000 m2 of loading space, more than a kilometre of lane space for vehicle traffic, and 330 metres of quay wall. The work will be carried out mainly from the sea, so that passenger and cargo traffic can continue to operate as normally as possible throughout the construction period (to be completed by the end of 2027). Kaj Takolander, the Finnish seaport’s VP Passenger Services, commented, “The start of the expansion of the southern end is a much-anticipated and important moment for us at the Port of Helsinki. In the coming years, major infrastructure works will be carried out in the West Harbour, and the work that is starting now is the first step in the overall renovation project. All traffic between Helsinki and Tallinn will be concentrated in the West Harbour in 2032, and the port’s services will be upgraded to meet the future needs of passengers and cargo traffic. It will be two football pitches’ worth of field space that allows for modern, customer-oriented solutions such as automated traffic control. At the same time, we are preparing for the future needs of electric ship traffic. This will improve the reliability and competitiveness of the port, also in the future.” The next phases of the West Harbour renovation project include the setup of a new passenger terminal, plus drilling a harbour tunnel to take heavy traffic underground.

Oxelösund’s new berth

The Swedish seaport has contracted (SEK137 million; €12.6m) Peab to construct the 122-metre-long Berth 8. The project will also cover dredging, with part of the material stabilised and used for constructing the new infrastructure. Works commenced in June 2025, slated for completion in the spring of 2027. “We are creating another ship berth, which will give us the capacity we need to be part of enabling the steel industry’s climate transition, likewise grow the port organically,” commented Jens Jacobsen, Maintenance Manager, the Port of Oxelösund.

Anniversary LHM – delivered

Liebherr Rostock handed over the 2,000th mobile harbour crane, an LHM 600, to Marcegaglia, which put it to use at its Ravenna site for handling steel coils, billets, and plates. The machinery features an outreach of 61 metres and a lifting capacity of 154 tonnes. The new LHM 600 became the largest in Marcegaglia’s fleet (which saw the first Liebherr mobile harbour crane, an LHM 400, in 2001). “We are proud to have received this milestone crane. It is not only a technical asset but a symbol of our shared journey with Liebherr – one built on reliability, innovation, and mutual respect,” highlighted Antonio Marcegaglia, President and CEO of Marcegaglia. Andreas Ritschel, General Manager Sales Mobile Harbour Cranes at Liebherr Rostock, added, “To deliver our 2,000th mobile harbour crane to Marcegaglia is a proud moment. It speaks to the strength of our legacy and to the shared innovation with our customers that drives us forward.”

Hansalink 3 secures EU funds

The €45-million project, run by the ports of Helsinki and Lübeck-Travemünde, will receive €22m in support of putting in place hard- & software to streamline cargo & passenger traffic. Among others, onshore power supply facilities and automooring systems will be installed (to prepare for the deployment of Finnlines’ Hansa Superstars cruise ferries in 2028-29). Hansalink 3 will come to its conclusion with 2027’s end. “The significant EU support [€12m for the Finnish seaport] will enable measures in ports to improve the competitiveness of the Helsinki-Travemünde corridor and develop maritime transport in line with sustainable development goals. I am glad that we have been able to collaborate closely with the Lübeck Port Authority to build a project that supports the development of the unit cargo and passenger vessel fleet on this route and ultimately serves the needs of North European companies and consumers,” said Vesa Marttinen, the Port of Helsinki’s VP Cargo.

OPS for cruisers goes online in Copenhagen

AIDAnova of AIDA Cruises was the first vessel to cold iron at the new facility at Oceankaj, dubbed by Copenhagen Malmö Port as Europe’s largest of its kind. Once fully developed by 2028, the new onshore power supply station, built by By & Havn, will be able to cater to five ships simultaneously (two now).

Sławków to double its handling capacity

The intermodal terminal in Central-southern Poland, which sits at the European and broad-gauge rail networks to/from Ukraine, will receive PLN180 million (€42.3m) of investment from the Polish Industrial Development Agency. The funds will be spent on a new area with seven tracks, plus cargo handling equipment. Once upgraded, Euroterminal Sławków’s yearly capacity will double to 530 thousand TEUs.

Photo: Liebherr Maritime Cranes

Photo: Peab

Thyborøn’s heavy-duty quayside storage – put in motion

RWE has become the first to use the Danish seaport’s new infrastructure, handling components for the 72-turbinebig offshore wind farm Thor (located 22 kilometres off Jutland’s west coast). Some 110 thousand m2 of the 190k m2 in total area, sitting in the Port of Thyborøn’s South Harbour, are already taken (with large secondary steel components – work platforms, boat landings, and internal cassettes for the foundations – having arrived this spring). Granite chippings (221,000 tonnes) were sourced from Norway and laid out over the new drained area to provide sufficient load-bearing capacity. Buss Ports, its Danish chapter, and Mammoet Danmark are in charge of handling the components at the new storage site.

“In addition to the benefits deriving from being able to gather components at a single location, the continuous unloading of main components ensures the components are available in time for installation. This guarantees being able to keep pace with the installation vessel during the installation work, which reduces the risk of waiting time,” the Port of Thyborøn highlighted in a press brief. The Danish seaport also underscored, “The fact that RWE is the first to store offshore wind turbine components at the new heavy-duty storage areas greatly supports the future development of more capacity at the Port of Thyborøn. The installation of the [over 1.0-gigawatt] wind farm is generating considerable activity as well as boosting local development.”

EU backs Hanko-Rostock port project

The two Baltic seaports will receive almost €14.2 million from the Connecting Europe Facility to carry out the development of port capacity for an integrated Baltic Sea Link on the Rostock-Hanko route; Part 2 (24-EU-TG-HARBOUR) project. On the Finnish side, the investment will go into modernising the main gate area, plus renovating the RoRo 5 quay. In Germany, CEF money will be used for extending the tracks of the combined traffic terminal to 680 metres and for setting up new storage areas.

Photo: Port of Hanko

Esbjerg’s fairway – deepened

The Danish seaport completed (on time & under budget) the Connecting Europe Facility-funded NORTHERNSEALYTS project that saw its fairway dredged from 9.3 to 12.8 metres. To that end, over 3.7 million m3 of seabed material was relocated along the 21.6-kilometre route through Grådyb. Thanks to this and other recently completed investments (570k m2 of new port areas), the Port of Esbjerg expects to double its cargo turnover over the next decade.

“We are already seeing that several partners and companies within the maritime sector are in need of ports that can accommodate significantly larger vessels. This is not something in the future – it is here and now. And Port Esbjerg is ready,” commented Dennis Jul Pedersen, CEO of the Danish seaport.

Dredging starts for the FSRU terminal in Gdańsk

Van Oord’s Vox Alexia has started working at the 656,000-square-metre site that will house Poland’s first floating storage regasification unit (FSRU; currently under construction in South Korea) and its second large-scale LNG import terminal. Dredging, to be carried out in four phases, was preceded by clearing metallic objects from the seabed. The first stage involves increasing the seabed depth in the area of the future jetty. Then, dredging will be continued in the immediate vicinity, up to the breakwater (to be constructed by the Maritime Office in Gdynia). The two final stages will cover the southern and eastern parts of the offshore construction site. After dredging, pile driving will start. Once commissioned at the turn of 2027/28, the FSRU, alongside onshore in-process storage and regasification infrastructure, will be able to handle over six billion m3 of natural gas per year. The preparatory works are grantsupported (up to €19.6 million) through the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility.

Two major infra projects signed in Gdańsk

First, the Port of Gdańsk Authority has commissioned DORACO to reconstruct the Vistula Quay in the Inner Port, a project worth PLN351 million (€82.5m) and scheduled for completion in Q2 2028. The construction works will see the rebuilding of 920.25 metres of quay wall, dredging the dock to 12 m, setting up new road & rail infrastructure (altogether 3.4 km of rail tracks), erecting a new terminal for handling sugar, and putting in place a new manoeuvring area. The new Vistula Quay will serve vessels able to carry 100,000 tonnes. Next, the Authority’s daughter stevedoring company, Port Gdański Eksploatacja, will set up, with the help of Premium Quality Care, a 7,000-square-metre, 30,000-tonne-capacity flat warehouse in what will make up the first phase of setting up the ultimately 160,000-tonne-storage-capacity Gdańsk Agro Terminal (GAT). The investment’s completion is planned for 2026; the entire GAT will be operational in 2028 following its integration with the Vistula Quay and the erection of other silos. The GAT project’s value is PLN240m (€65.4m). The reconstruction of the Vistula Quay is part of a bigger initiative, 85% EU-supported through the Connecting Europe Facility. The construction of GAT will, in turn, be 100% financed from Polish funds.

Indian Quay in Gdynia – modernised

The NDI Group finished overhauling the infrastructure in question, broadening 537 metres of the quay wall by six metres, plus dredging it to 15.5 metres. The investment also involved several other works, including modernising the road & rail network (the length of the quay’s track totals 1,615 metres now), extending the waterfront trans-loading facility, and installing new fenders

Baltic Power’s first turbine – mounted

The 1.1-gigawatt joint venture offshore wind farm project of the Torontoheadquartered Northland Power and the Polish ORLEN saw the setup of the first (out of 76) V236 15-megawatt turbine from Vestas at the beginning of July 2025. Cadeler’s Wind Osprey, recently fitted with new main cranes (lifting capacity of 1,600 tonnes), mounted the first turbine (the vessel can transport up to three turbines at once). Expected to start commercial operations next year, Baltic Power will generate electricity for over 1.5 million households in Poland (equivalent to 3.0% of the country’s electricity demand). Work continues across other parts of the project, including foundation and transition piece installation, export and inter-array cable preparations, and erecting onshore infrastructure. The service base in the Port of Łeba was opened in April 2025; it will support Baltic Power’s operations and maintenance activities (meanwhile, the installation is being carried out from the Port of Rønne).

From the Baltic to India

In mid-summer, two electric mobile harbour cranes of the LHM 550 model left Liebherr’s factory in the Port of Rostock for the Indian Vizag Port. There, Green Energy Resources deployed the brand-new machinery at its EQ1A berth. The LHM 550s feature a four-rope configuration, a 124-tonne safe working load, electric drives, and integrated overpressure units to protect components from abrasive dust and humidity. “The cranes’ modular control systems and intuitive interfaces simplify operator training and maintenance planning, key factors in maintaining uptime in high-throughput environments. This added versatility supports the company’s ability to respond to shifting market demands and seasonal cargo flows without compromising service levels,” the manufacturer highlighted in a press brief. Siddharth Saxena, Founder & Director, Green Energy Resources, commented on this first-time purchase from Liebherr, “We are pleased to partner with Liebherr for this important investment. The new cranes will allow us to improve turnaround times and meet the growing demands of our customers with greater efficiency and reliability.” Green Energy Resources handles over 3.5 million tonnes of dry bulk annually.

Photo: Liebherr Maritime Cranes

Photo: NDI Group

Photo: Port of Esbjerg

Gdynia added to Finnlines’ pan-European network

The company’s Finneco  ro-ros, each offering 5,800 lane metres for cargo, started visiting the Polish seaport as of week 26 of 2025 (23-29 June). The connection in question is part of the North Sea & Biscay Line network that links the Baltic ports of Kotka, Helsinki, Hanko, Travemünde, and Gothenburg with Fredrikstad, Antwerp, Zeebrugge, Sheerness, Rosslare, Bilbao, and Vigo. “These state-ofthe-art hybrid ro-ro vessels are tailored to accommodate a wide array of cargo types, including ro-ro, break-bulk, container, and automotive. They are particularly wellsuited for special and oversized shipments, such as extrawide or heavy units transported on weather decks or mafi trailers,” highlighted Blasco Majorana, Line Manager at Finnlines. His company added in a press release, “To support the service expansion, Finnlines is also introducing brand-new 80-foot mafis with embedded rails, specifically designed to facilitate the transportation of non-standard cargo – such as trains and wagons – with greater efficiency and flexibility.”

Molslinjen orders e-catamarans

Incat’s shipyard in Tasmania has been entrusted with constructing two battery-powered high-speed ferries for the Danish shipping line. The first 129-metrelong and 30.5-metre-wide e-catamaran, able to transport 1,483 passengers and 500 cars, will enter Danish waters around the turn of 2027 and 2028. Discussions are ongoing with multiple shipyards capable of delivering a vessel identical to the first two. Each ferry will have 45,000kWh battery packs, enabling 40+ knot speeds. Apart from new tonnage, the DKK3.5 billion (€470 million) investment involves associated onshore infrastructure. Charging the ferries will be possible both in the Aarhus and Odden ports. When plugged in, a single catamaran will charge with 15kV AC at 55,000kW for 30 minutes – receiving an average of 25,000kWh of energy before its next journey (enough to power an electric car for a 150,000-kilometre drive). “Molslinjen’s fast ferries were specifically mentioned in the Danish green tax reform – a package of political initiatives aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and accelerating the green transition. As a result, Molslinjen has now applied for support from the government’s green funding programme to help finance the electrification of its Kattegat operations. The possibility of state support has been the decisive factor behind the company’s decision to place the order,” Molslinjen highlighted in a press release. “This is a massive undertaking, involving not just the three ferries but also extensive land-based infrastructure projects and energy storage systems for the new ships. We now have two and a half years to get ready for full electric operation on the Kattegat. It is a fantastic milestone for our company. We are among Denmark’s five largest CO2  emitters, and with support from the fund, we and the government now have a chance to remove 132,000 tonnes of CO2  emissions from Denmark’s climate footprint each year,” outlined Kristian Durhuus, CEO of Molslinjen.

Green Lane by Finnlines

The ferry & ro-ro line has introduced a new concept of shipping, both for freight & passengers, where vessels can now sail fully electric or with biofuel in place of fossil bunker. The 100% electricity-powered cargo shipments are available between Naantali and Kapellskär, with the crossing’s two 5.0MWh cruise ferries green-charged while connected to an onshore power supply in the Finnish and Swedish seaports. “Our utmost goal is to reduce emissions, and we are already seeing concrete results. With the introduction of our new vessels, Finnsirius  and Finncanopus , we have entered the hybrid era and can now offer our customers even more efficient and sustainable sea transport services. Although the cargo capacity of the vessels operating on the Naantali-Kapellskär route has increased significantly, absolute carbon dioxide emissions per nautical mile have decreased by 22%,” underscored Antonio Raimo, Line Manager at Finnlines. The biofuel Green Lane option for freight is available on the Naantali-Kapellskär, Malmö-Travemünde, Malmö-Świnoujście, and HankoGdynia services. “The use of biofuels [derived from renewable sources] can reduce well-to-wake greenhouse gas emissions of transport by up to 90% compared with conventional fossil fuels,” Finnlines highlighted in a press release. The company’s Commercial Director, Merja Kallio-Mannila, added, “We want to offer our customers concrete solutions to help them achieve their decarbonisation targets. Both solutions ensure low emissions; for example, using biofuel can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 700kg per trailer on the Hanko-Gdynia route.” Green Lane is also available for passengers on the Naantali-Långnäs-Kapellskär, HelsinkiTravemünde, Malmö-Travemünde, and Malmö-Świnoujście crossings. “If passengers choose this option, Finnlines will consume renewable biofuels to replace the corresponding volume of fossil fuels, and the emissions per passenger on the route will decline,” the company said.

Gdańsk added to Balt 1

CMA CGM has made the Polish seaport part of the container loop that connects it with Helsinki and Tallinn in the Baltic and Rotterdam, Teesport, and Zeebrugge in the North Sea. The link is served by the 2019-built sister, gas-run, 170 by 27-metre vessels Containerships Aurora and Containership Borealis , each offering 1,380 TEU of capacity (378 reefer plugs). Also, as of 16 July 2025, CMA CGM’s new Scandinavia West Coast Express (SWX) weekly loop connects the ports of Aarhus, Gdańsk, Gothenburg, and Klaipėda.

Changes in ONE’s Baltic feeder network

First, on 3 August 2025, a new service set sail, Finland Express 2 (FI2), while from 22 August, Baltic Bridge Express (BBX) offers a new rotation. FI2 connects the ports of Rotterdam (ECT Delta Terminal), Antwerp (Gateway), Helsinki (Steveco), Tallinn (HHLA TK Estonia), and Kotka (Steveco). The loop is served by the green methanol-run Eco Levant  and Eco Maestro, each offering 1,260 TEUs of capacity. The new BBX links the ports of Rotterdam (Short Sea Terminals & Rotterdam World Gateway), Gdańsk (Baltic Hub), Klaipėda (Klaipėda Container Terminal), and Riga (Riga Universal Terminal). The 1,084-TEU Svendborg  and the 1,118-TEU Ballata  feed the volumes.

New intra-Sweden rail service

The Lübeck-headquartered TT-Line has set in motion a new combined rail service (for trailers & containers) that links the Port of Trelleborg and Hallsberg with five weekly round trips. The ferry company also underscored that waste transports are permitted on the new link.

Nerthus in the Baltic…

The all-electric passenger-car ferry, put together by the Turkish Cemre Shipyard for the Danish Alslinjen (a subsidiary of Molslinjen), arrived in the Baltic and entered traffic on 16 June 2025. The 116.8-metre-long ferry offers room for 600 passengers and 188 vehicles. Initially set to sail between Fynshav and Bøjden, Nerthus served Samsølinjen’s crossing between Ballen and Kalundborg this summer. Nerthus features technology for automatic docking as well as for charging its 3.1MWh battery system (supplied by Echandia). Cemre Shipyard is also constructing Tyrfing, a sister ship originally destined for the Ballen-Kalundborg link (as the service is longer than Fynshav-Bøjden, she’ll have a bigger battery pack of 3.8MWh).

… and so is South Enabler

After successfully carrying out sea trials, the brandnew ro-ro has replaced ML Freyja on the TurkuSouthern Paldiski-Bremerhaven-Zeebrugge-TilburyCuxhaven service under a five-year-long charter. The 1A Ice Class, methanol-ready freighter – put together by shipbuilders from Visentini and designed by NAOS Ship and Boat Design – is 203 metres long and offers 3,000 lane metres of cargo space.

Scandlines’ new ferry gets ready for sailing to the Baltic

Under the supervision of Lloyd’s Register and in collaboration with the builder, Cemre Shipyard, the company’s newbuild has successfully completed its second sea trial in the Sea of Marmara. This included simulations of a blackout, plus advanced navigation systems and automated safety tests. The 147.4-metre-long, 25.4-metrewide, 10MWh electric Futura (also equipped with three diesel generators) will offer room for 140 passengers and 1,200 lane metres for cargo on the Puttgarden-Rødby 45-minute crossing later this autumn. Apart from the ship, the €80 million project saw the installation of charging systems in the German and Danish seaports. It will take approximately 12 and 17 minutes to charge the ferry in Puttgarden and Rødby, respectively. “An intelligent charging tower ensures that the ferry is automatically switched on, regardless of water levels and movements, in under 15 seconds,” Scandlines underscored in a press brief, talking about its recent investment in a 50kV/25MW power cable and a new transformer station in the Danish ferry port.

Eckerö takes over Fjärdvägen

The shipping line Lillgaard from the Åland Islands has sold its subsidiary to another Ålandic shipowner, with the deal covering the vessel Fjärdvägen, her crew, and other assets. The 1972-built ro-ro (780 lane metres for wheeled cargo) plies between the Port of Långnäs on the Ålands and Naantali on the Finnish mainland (since 1994 under Lillgaard’s banner). “The Långnäs-Naantali route fits perfectly in our strategy of providing ‘floating bridges’ where sea shipping is the most obvious and sustainable choice. The connection between Åland and Finland has in many ways been the missing link in our customer offer; a link that we can now attach to the chain,” underscored Björn Blomqvist, CEO, Eckerö.

• The Finnish-Swedish ferry company, plying between Umeå and Vaasa, has signed a contract with Gasum for the delivery of biogas, plus entered a FuelEU Maritime pool with Stena Line. The bunker deal will see Wasaline’s Aurora Botnia using only biofuels in the future – thus making it possible to check off the company’s goal of becoming carbon-neutral before the initial 2030 deadline. This will also mean that the Umeå-Vaasa crossing will become a green shipping corridor in practice. Also, earlier Wasaline had contracted the marine battery specialists from AYK Energy to up the ferry’s current battery system of 2.2MWh by an additional 10.4MWh. Delivery is scheduled for the autumn of this year, with Aurora Botnia set to use the new lithium iron phosphate pack as of January 2026. “We have attended many seminars where shipping companies are talking about the growing costs with the EU Emission Trading System and focusing on how to get exceptions from the rules. We have instead focused on the opportunities,” noted Peter Ståhlberg, Managing Director of Wasaline. He furthered, “We have constantly worked with the possibilities to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and environmental footprint, and we have seen the coming rules as an opportunity for our traffic between Finland and Sweden. With this unique collaboration with Stena Line and Gasum, Wasaline can achieve carbon neutrality already now as a forerunner for the industry. This also means that all cargo and passengers travelling with Wasaline are sustainable with no additional extra charges for being carbon-neutral.” Vegar Rype, Segment Director RoRo and Ferries at DNV, also highlighted, “At DNV, we have been actively collaborating with partners, through the Nordic Roadmap,

to launch green shipping corridors, and we are very pleased to see the VaasaUmeå route, operated by Wasaline, recognized as the first international green shipping corridor in operation. This milestone directly supports the ambitions of both the Clydebank Declaration and the ministerial declaration on zeroemission shipping routes between the Nordic countries.” Niclas Mårtensson, CEO of Stena Line, commented on the co-op, “By integrating Aurora Botnia into Stena Line’s FuelEU Maritime pool, we gain access to biogas previously unavailable for Stena Line, which enables further emission reductions for the entire pool, lowers fuel costs, and strengthens our strategic position as biofuels become increasingly scarce under more stringent regulations.” •

FERNRIDE & HHLA TK ESTONIA TRANSITION TO DRIVERLESS OPERATIONS

• The move follows the certification of FERNRIDE’s safety concept and system design by TÜV SÜD, as well as approval by the Estonian Transport Administration. FERNRIDE is the first to receive TÜV SÜD certification for an autonomous terminal tractor under the EU Machinery Directive (2006/42/EC).

“This certification confirms that FERNRIDE’s autonomous vehicle platform –including the vehicle, sensors, computers, and software – meets EU standards for safety, cyber security, and system reliability. It marks an important step toward CE compliance and industrial deployment across Europe,” the company underscored in a press release. Its CEO and co-founder, Hendrik Kramer, added, “This is a defining moment not only for FERNRIDE but for the entire autonomous logistics industry in Europe. From day one, we’ve made safety the foundation of everything we build. Meeting Europe’s most stringent

regulatory standards took a remarkable effort, and I’m incredibly proud of our team’s dedication and precision throughout this journey. This certification proves that our technology meets the highest safety benchmarks, not just in theory, but in practice, and brings us one step closer to making autonomous logistics a commercial reality across the EU.”

Riia Sillave, CEO of HHLA TK Estonia, also commented, “Entering the phase of driverless terminal transport marks a good step on the path to being the digital front-runner and a test field –not just for our collaboration with FERNRIDE but for the future of terminal operations. As one of the first terminals to take this step, we are shaping the path towards more intelligent logistics. We trust that innovation succeeds by including the know-how of our employees – our team’s engagement is the foundation for the integration of this technology into everyday operations.” •

ITS EYES CARBON DIOXIDE INFRA IN SÖDERTÄLJE

• Inter Terminals Sweden (ITS), in co-op with the Port of Södertälje, has started a front-end engineering design study for an open-access intermediate storage facility in the Swedish port for regionally captured carbon dioxide. The project also aims at securing permits. The terminal, expected to be operational by 2030, will see the CO2 exported by sea either for permanent storage or further use, e.g., in the production of e-fuels. “This initiative marks an important milestone for Inter Terminals, positioning us as a key enabler

in the emerging CO2-logistics market in Mälardalen. The objective is to offer an open and accessible solution for all regional companies aiming to capture CO2 and seeking efficient solutions for storage or for reuse,” said Johan Zettergren, Managing Director of ITS. Måns Frostell, the Port of Södertälje’s CEO, also commented, “This joint initiative further strengthens Södertälje Port’s position as a hub for sustainable freight logistics and the future infrastructure for energy management in the Stockholm region.” •

SCANDLINES TO HYBRIDISE TWO FERRIES

• BLRT Repair Yards’ Western Shiprepair will convert two ships serving the Puttgarden-Rødby service with 5.0MWh battery systems. The €31 million project will also see both seaports fitted with charging facilities, with 12 minutes needed to charge the batteries up to at least 80% of the energy needed for the crossing. The conversion of the first vessel started in August 2025, while the other will begin in December. The hybridisation is slated for completion in early 2026. “By electrifying two of our Fehmarn Belt ferries, we are moving much closer to our goal of making the route direct emission-free by 2030 [Scandlines’ overall ambition is to become a direct emission-free company by 2040]. This is what our customers want, and it will significantly strengthen our competitiveness,” said Michael Guldmann Petersen, Scandlines’ COO. He also

underlined, “It is about more than just technology – it’s about responsibility. As a ferry company operating daily in one of the world’s most sensitive waters, we have a special obligation to protect the marine environment we operate in.” His company also highlighted in a press release, “Between 2013 and 2024, Scandlines invested €380 million in technologies to reduce emissions such as new hybrid ferries for the Rostock-Gedser route, rotor sails and new centre propeller blades for the Rostock-Gedser ferries, new highly efficient and lownoise thrusters for the Puttgarden-Rødby ferries and algae-repellent silicone paint, which saves energy compared to conventional types of bottom paint.” The German Ministry of Transport has awarded the project financial support that will cover up to 40% of the conversion expenses. •

Photo: Wasaline

ANOTHER STEP TOWARDS A CARBON DIOXIDE HUB IN AALBORG

• Munck Havne & Anlæg has won the Port of Aalborg’s tender for the construction of a 500-meter-long quay with 60,000 square meters of adjacent land area at the East Port. The new infrastructure will chiefly serve Fidelis New Energy’s Norne Carbon Storage Hub, a reception facility with a pipeline network and storage to receive up to five million tonnes of CO2 per year (potentially 15mt in the future). Construction is set to begin this autumn, with completion scheduled for the end of 2027. The designand-build construction project will follow the Integrated Construction model developed by Molt Wengel. “We chose to use the Integrated Construction model to bring both consultancy and contractor expertise into play, from design through to delivery. It gives us a unique opportunity to challenge one another and enhance quality throughout the entire project,” explained Mikkel Guldhammer, Project Manager at the Port of Aalborg. The total budget for the quay expansion runs into several hundred million Danish kroner. The project has received nearly DKK80m (about €10.7m) in EU support through the Connecting Europe Facility. “The new quay is essential for realizing the CO2 reception facility with Norne, which will position Aalborg as one of Europe’s leading areas for CO2 management. We are pleased that, with this agreement with Munck Havne & Anlæg, we’re now ready to accelerate development,” commented Kristian Thulesen Dahl, CEO of the Port of Aalborg. He also underlined, “Equally important, the quay expansion enables a significant enlargement of our business park, allowing us to offer many more quay-adjacent square meters to industries, especially the wind industry, that are in high demand for such space.” •

Photo: Fidelis New Energy

MADE-IN-SWEDEN BIOMETHANE BUNKERED IN GOTHENBURG

• St1 and St1 Biokraft provided the fuel to Terntank’s Tern Ocean at Quay 519 in the Port of Gothenburg’s Energy Harbour. “In order to accelerate the maritime sector’s transition, it’s essential that all actors across the value chain pull in the same direction, cooperate, and translate ambitions into practice. We are pleased to have all of this in place at the Port of Gothenburg,” said Therese Jällbrink, Head of Renewable Energy at the Swedish seaport. She furthered, “Liquefied biomethane is an important part of the fuel palette that must be available to support the shipping industry’s transition. It is one of the fuels the Port of Gothenburg is working with within the framework of green shipping

TERNTANK REPEATS ORDER FOR ECONOWIND’S VENTOFOILS

• The Skagen-based tanker company will see its two dual-fuel (diesel/ methanol) hybrid tankers equipped with 16-metre, foldable, ATEXcertified wind wings, four units for each vessel. The deal follows the initial order of May 2023 for three newbuilds, bringing the new tonnage number to five and 20 VentoFoils. China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Yangzhou) delivered the first one, Tern Vik, in April 2025. “At Terntank, we are always looking for ways to reduce fuel consumption. It is part of our DNA. The installation of the VentoFoils and their integration with the Kongsberg [energy & propulsion management] system went seamlessly. It is great to see that the actual fuel savings match what was predicted. We are very pleased with the results,” commented Claes Möller, CEO of Terntank. “Econowind’s engineering team has worked closely with Terntank and Kongsberg to ensure seamless integration of the VentoFoils into the vessel’s overall energy system. The collaborative approach allows real-time optimisation of power sources, where wind, batteries, and fuel-based engines work together to minimise emissions and maximise efficiency. Under the K-Sail concept, wind can take the lead when conditions are favorable,” the manufacturer from the Dutch Groningen highlighted in a press release. The Terntank order upped Econowind’s sales of VentoFoils to over 130 units, mounted on dry bulk carriers, tankers, ro-ros, and container ships. •

corridors, aimed at creating the conditions for fossil-free logistics chains. This bunkering operation brings us another step closer to our ambition of becoming Scandinavia’s primary bunkering hub for alternative fuels.” In 2026, Nordion Energi will build a liquefaction facility for biomethane at the Swedish seaport, connected to the West Sweden gas grid. “Once the liquefaction plant is completed, we will have a solid solution in place at the Port of Gothenburg. This is a strategic step towards our goal of scaling up and offering competitive liquefied biomethane to the shipping sector, thereby taking a leading position in this segment,” commented Ted Gustavsson, Head of Value Chain at St1 Biokraft. •

HYDROGEN OPS PUT TO THE TEST IN GOTHENBURG

• A two-week trial saw Stena Line’s two ferries drawing power from a hydrogen-powered generator connected to the company’s onshore power supply (OPS) facility at its Germany Terminal in the Port of Gothenburg. Hitachi Energy has developed the HyFlex hydrogen generator (already used to run a Volvo excavator during the construction of Gothenburg’s Arendal 2), with the PowerCell Group supplying the power modules and sharing its expertise in fuel cell integration. Linde Gas provided the 100% green hydrogen for testing. “In 2030, a new EU regulation will come into effect, requiring container and passenger vessels to use OPS while at berth. According to a study by ICCT [International Council on Clean Transportation], this is expected to reduce emissions by just over one million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year,” the Swedish seaport highlighted in a press release. The Port of Gothenburg also houses a hydrogen-fuelling station for trucks and is testing hydrogen-powered work vehicles. •

ESBJERG BREAKS GROUND FOR CCS

• The Danish seaport, the Esbjerg Municipality, and INEOS Energy hosted the groundbreaking ceremony for a terminal, part of what is hailed as the first full value chain for carbon capture & storage (CCS) in the EU. Once operational in late 2025/early 2026, the facility of Project Greensand will be able to handle up to 6,000 tonnes of CO2 at a time. In the first phase, some 400kt/year is predicted for handling, up to 8.0mt of biogenic & fossil CO2 in the future. Project Greensand says it expects investments of $150+ million across the Greensand CCS value chain to scale storage capacity (with CO2 ultimately stored offshore in the North Sea). “With today’s groundbreaking, we are not just starting a construction project – we are opening a new chapter, where Port Esbjerg plays a central role in the infrastructure needed for a greener Europe,” the seaport’s CEO, Dennis Jul Pedersen, commented. •

EUROPORTS-NOATUN WIND-PORT CO-OP

• The two have signed a letter of intent to develop the Port of Hanko’s Koverhar Harbour into an offshore wind energy (OWE) hub for the 250-turbine-big, 4,000-megawatt-strong Noatun Åland North OWE farm. “Unlike a greenfield development, the Koverhar Harbour already possesses the fundamental infrastructure needed for the offshore wind logistics. With limited adaptations and targeted investments, it can be quickly optimised to serve the industry, making it a highly efficient and cost-effective solution,” the parties said in a press release. As such, the letter of intent outlines a framework for evaluating storage, assembly, and logistical needs. It also includes an option for using Koverhar in setting up Noatun Åland South (4.7GW). In addition, the Port of Hanko and Euroports have a separate exclusive agreement to explore the long-term development of the Koverhar Harbour to meet the growing demands of the general OWE market. •

Photo: Econowind

VENTURE FORTH

GEFO OPTS FOR SAILS FROM NORSEPOWER

• The shipping company from Hamburg will have six of its newbuilds, constructed by Nantong Xiangyu Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, fitted with Norsepower Rotor Sails. Each of the four 3,850-deadweight (dwt) chemical tankers will be equipped with one 20-metre-tall and 4.0-m-in-diameter rotor, while the two 7,900 dwt chem carriers will get the 28-by-4.0 version. All six rotors will feature Norsepower’s EX-compliant design, certified for use on vessels transporting flammable cargoes. GEFO will also have access to the Norsepower Digital Dimension, including the AI-powered Norsepower Sentient Control for real-time performance optimisation, predictive maintenance, and full transparency on emission savings. The sails will be manufactured at Norsepower’s site in China, delivered to the yard already tested, fully assembled, and installationready. GEFO’s newbuildings, designed by Ship Design & Consult, are scheduled for commissioning in 2026-28. “At GEFO, we are committed to building a future-ready fleet that meets the highest standards of environmental performance and operational efficiency. Partnering with Norsepower allows us to integrate proven wind propulsion technology into our newbuilds from day one – supporting both our sustainability targets and our longterm competitiveness,” underscored Henning Brauer, GEFO’s Technical Director. Heikki Pöntynen, CEO of Norsepower, added, “This is a landmark agreement for Norsepower, not just because it involves […] six vessels – but because it signals a fundamental shift in how wind propulsion is perceived in commercial shipping. We are no longer talking about

one-off pilot installations; we are now securing full fleet commitments. That is a clear sign we have not only opened the market, but we are now leading it – both in terms of proven delivery capacity and customer trust.” He also underscored, “And with access to the Norsepower Digital Dimension, including our AI-powered Norsepower Sentient Control and Norsepower Cloud, our customers are fully equipped to maximise the return on their investment from day one.” GEFO has received support for their new chemical tankers from the German Government’s Namkue Fund, a financial instrument aimed at promoting sustainable coastal shipping and accelerating decarbonisation technologies. •

Development of OWE in the Baltic Sea

Photo: Norsepower

NGOs and industry alliances urge the EU to push through the “disappointing

IMO agreement”

A collective of 82 clean maritime and green hydrogen industry stakeholders has written a letter to the European Commission (COM) and European Union Presidency urging it to strengthen the bloc’s clean shipping policy. “More ambitious IMO measures could have eased existing barriers for the industry’s growth. A stronger price on all shipping pollution and high rewards targeting early green hydrogen fuel adoption would have helped e-fuel producers access the finances needed to increase production, and ships to switch to e-fuels. The weak measures will leave pioneering green companies continuing to struggle to develop, at the expense of global and EU climate goals and European industry,” the parties underlined in a joint press brief. To amend what they see to be IMO’s shortcomings, their letter urges COM to adopt a policy roadmap based on already planned legislation, including the introduction of financial mechanisms to support e-fuel producers in the upcoming Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (2025); expand the maritime part of the EU Emissions Trading System and use revenues to support e-fuels (2026); strengthen e-fuel uptake targets in the FuelEU Maritime review (2027); and continue to push for ambitious regulation at the IMO that incentivise e-fuel uptake. “The EU must deliver the policy support that the shipping industry is crying out for and that the IMO failed to secure. There is only one credible path to net-zero shipping, and that is using green hydrogen fuels. But without EU support, the maritime sector will not be able to access and adopt these fuels, in turn failing to deliver the potential for industrial competitiveness these innovative sectors promise Europe. In the aftermath of the IMO’s disappointing outcome, there is a window of opportunity for the EU to nurture rather than neglect its nascent green shipping businesses – what’s to win is nothing less than meeting Europe’s climate targets and its Clean Industrial Deal goals,” said Aurelia Leeuw, Director of EU Policy at the SASHA Coalition. To this Madadh MacLaine, Secretary General of the Zero Emissions Ship Technology Association (ZESTAs), added, “From every angle, be it climate, industry, or innovation, it is in the EU’s best interest to strengthen clean shipping regulation where the IMO didn’t. The IMO measures could have delivered the gust of wind ZESTAs’ members needed to set their next-generation technologies sailing, but instead, it opened a gap for solutions that will bake in infrastructure investment in fuels that may do more harm than good: biofuels and LNG. ZESTAs calls upon the EU to support a rigorous and specific science-based fuel life cycle analysis methodology at the IMO, to support the nascent ZEST industry, penalise pollution, and to strengthen its own targets, for the sake of the shipping industry’s future resilience as much as for the climate.”

€2.8 billion for transport projects across the EU

The European Commission selected 94 transport projects to receive nearly €2.8 billion in EU grants under the latest Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) call. Rail transport will receive the largest share of the funding (77%), with investments directed towards major infrastructure upgrades across the Trans-European Transport Network, both Core and Extended, particularly in cohesion countries (including Rail Baltica). Projects tasked with reducing the environmental impact of maritime and inland waterway transport will receive backing as well, particularly for setting up onshore power supply facilities in seaports. Support will also go to the construction and upgrading of multi-purpose icebreakers in Estonia, Finland, and Sweden to strengthen the security and resilience of submarine cables. In road transport, safe and secure parking areas will be built or modernised. Funds will continue to be channelled to the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes, with projects to improve rail connectivity and border crossing points (between Slovakia and Ukraine, but also between Romania and Moldova). The CEF 2021-27 transport €25.8 billion budget has already been allocated in 95%. The latest selection will see several Baltic seaports getting CEF funds: Hanko, Helsinki, Lübeck, and Rostock, plus the Maritime Office in Szczecin for widening the Port of Świnoujście’s fairway.

More future funds for transport

The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) has welcomed the A revamped long-term budget for the Union in a changing world report of the European Parliament’s Budget Committee. The document stresses the need for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) to allocate significantly greater funding to energy and transport, in line with the objective of the EU achieving climate neutrality by mid-century. It also recognises that budgetary needs post-2027 will be significantly higher than the amounts allocated in the 2021-27 MFF, including more money to be spent

on military mobility. “Europe’s ports are important partners in enhancing energy, economic and geopolitical resilience. This comes with huge investments, which are often high risk and without direct or important return on the investment, even if these investments are key in meeting Europe’s ambitions. It is good to see that the budget experts in the European Parliament are understanding the importance of both transport and energy investments and funding in the current geo-economic and geopolitical context,” commented Isabelle Ryckbost, ESPO’s Secretary General.

ITF Ukraine Transport Support Fund

At the latest edition of the International Transport Forum’s (ITF) Summit, Eugenijus Sabutis, Lithuania’s Minister of Transport and Communications, proposed the establishment of the facility in question. The Fund would help secure increased financial contributions from international donors, promoting the recovery of Ukraine’s critical transport infrastructure (estimations speak of $38

billion of damage to it until now). The proposal follows the set-up of CIG4U, a cooperation platform between Lithuania, Canada, Sweden and Ukraine, during last year’s Lithuanian presidency of the ITF. CIG4U has been put in motion to mobilise international support and facilitate faster & more efficient information exchange, all towards supporting Ukraine’s transport restoration projects.

The Szczecin Declaration

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During the 11th International Maritime Congress in the Polish port city, EU transport ministers signed the document in question , which highlights the need to safeguard the global competitiveness of European shipping through a level playing field, likewise fit-for-purpose regulatory and taxation frameworks. “At a time of rising protectionism across the world, the Declaration sends a strong signal that Europe does not need protectionist measures but investments to bridge the innovation gap and to make the maritime industrial cluster more competitive,” underlined the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) in a comment to the Declaration. Among others, EU Member States call for regulatory action on fuel supply, recognising that decarbonisation depends on the contribution of fuel producers & suppliers. ECSA said, “European Shipowners consider the introduction of a binding mandate on suppliers to produce and make available the fuels necessary for the energy transition of shipping.” Here, the Declaration suggests measures to de-risk investment in clean fuel in Europe under the upcoming Sustainable Transport Investment Plan. “European Shipowners firmly support

HAMBURG YOUR PORT

the use of the EU and national ETS revenues for bridging the enormous price gap with clean fuels,” underscored ECSA.

Photo: Visit Szczecin!

Intermodal traffic in Port of Trelleborg

Continued great success for sustainable transports

Port of Trelleborg, with the ambition of being Europe’s most sustainable RoRo port, is constantly working on various improvement measures within environment and sustainability. We invest a lot in intermodal transports, i.e. a combination of rail, sea and road, since it is the most sustainable way to get your goods.

Port of Trelleborg has worked to ensure that a larger proportion of trailers and containers choose the train to and from Trelleborg, a work that has had a fantastic development in recent years. In 2024 the increase was 17% compared with the previous year, which means that more than 46,000 trailers have traveled to or from Port of Trelleborg by rail. The port’s unique logistical location, where Europe meets Scandinavia, and with the possibility of combining the transport modes sea, rail and road, is a success factor.

Faster and more efficient handling of intermodal trains

The Port of Trelleborg has an activity, with the aim of improving the handling of intermodal trains and rail connections, in the EU project ”Green FIT”. The completion of the rail works was completed in May 2025. With the investments, some existing constraints in the port area were eliminated and the intermodal trains no longer need to be split in two parts. Therefore, the train handling operations towards the intermodal terminal have been significantly optimized.

A new modern intermodal terminal

By 2033, the forecasts point to 150,000 units. In order to handle this large number, the Port of Trelleborg needs to rebuild the intermodal terminal to improve the handling of intermodal trains and rail connections. Port of Trelleborg works together with the Swedish Transport Administration to reach an agreement regarding a takeover of the old freight railway yard in order to develop and become a modern intermodal terminal.

Together with our shipping line customers and our partner ports, we can tie together the intermodal solutions to increase the volumes further.

Port of Trelleborg is Scandinavia’s largest RoRo port for rolling traffic, one of Sweden’s five core ports designated as strategically important by the EU and an important part of the European transport corridors. We are also Sweden’s only port with rail ferries. The port is an important node for Sweden’s import and export, and thus has an important meaning and role for the climate transition of freight transports.

Unlocking decarbonisation with energy independence

All CLEAR

by Nicholas Ball, CEO and Co-Founder, XFuel

Many shipowners face costly and unappealing choices to meet global emission regulations. There is, however, another way to connect the dots of being green and commercially sound. Namely, vessel owners can make strides to build their low-carbon fuel supply chain end-to-end, thus reclaiming some energy independence.

The shipping industry faces ambitious decarbonisation targets; from aiming to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 to shorterterm objectives. In April, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) agreed on mandatory emission limits and a global price on emissions for ships that exceed them, set to come into effect in 2028 – subject to approval at its Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) session in October this year. Shipowners will need to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the fuel that powers their vessels by 30% by 2035, up by 65% five years later. Such regulations are putting pressure on the maritime sector to explore all viable decarbonisation pathways.

The clock is ticking

Low- and zero-carbon fuels are a critical solution to decarbonisation. Yet, despite rapid developments, the gap between the current state of low-carbon fuel production and distribution and the scale required for meaningful decarbonisation remains vast. Closing it at a cost that is accessible to operators and their customers is an additional challenge for the sector. With more than 95% of the global fleet still running on conventional fuels, shipowners need to find economically viable, low-carbon, drop-in solutions that can secure global and regional regulatory compliance.

Today, owners face tough choices: fleet overhaul means significant investment and paying a premium for newbuilds that incorporate low-carbon and clean technologies. Failure to act will expose companies

to financial penalties. Meanwhile, relying on vessel pooling to secure compliance will mean ceding some independence and aligning with the operational plans of somebody else. With the clock ticking on fleet compliance and costs on the rise, shipowners need reliable long-term solutions without delay.

Whose move is next?

The shipping industry has historically relied on an energy strategy that uses low-quality, low-cost bunkers. Today, regulations across all transport sectors are mandating higher-quality, lower-carbon-burning fuels, pushing demand and costs up. This very regulatory framework is defining the path and pace of the shipping industry’s decarbonisation transition. As such, fuel buyers in the shipping industry need to rethink their strategies.

But this is easier said than done! The range and complexity of the alternative fuel choices mean many owners lack clarity about the best route to compliance. There is no silver bullet. Particular alternative fuels may suit the needs of different shipping segments, and the supply and technological maturity of alternative fuels are often determined by where in the world a vessel is operating. Consequently, many owners are waiting for suppliers to move first, aware that their return on investment will depend on the cost of alternative fuel 10-20 years in the future.

However, fuel suppliers and their clients have different expectations. To safeguard their investments in production and distribution infrastructure, energy suppliers are eager to secure long-term off-take

agreements. But such agreement structures are unfamiliar to the maritime sector. Shipping companies want the flexibility of the spot market, suited to their routes and charter agreements, and to hedge against the changing price of fuel.

The sector would greatly benefit from a fuel that’s affordable, scalable, and proven to reduce emissions. One that can work as a drop-in fuel for over 50,000 vessels on the water today and help them strengthen their compliance with emission regulations.

Waste-to-resource

Sludge, found in the most familiar of places, is one contender to bridge this gap. The shipping industry produces millions of tonnes of residual waste oil every year, equal to 1-3% of all fuel oil used by vessels. MARPOL Annex 1 regulates this significant problem for the sector.

Vessel operators view MARPOL Annex 1-sludge as waste to dispose of as easily and cheaply as possible. In reality, though, its disposal is an expensive and time-consuming process. Sludge is a regulated waste stream that every ship has to manage. Processes for handling the waste material vary around the world. In the US, operators pay for disposal; however, in less regulated states, they may store waste in open ‘lakes,’ contaminating the environment and harming local wildlife. The illegal discharge of sludge still occurs – an estimated 3,000+ illicit dumping incidents per year in European waters alone. Adequately disposing of sludge with contained environmental impact often requires incinerating it on board – a process that offers no direct benefit to the vessel.

There is another way, however. Sludge, along with other waste feedstocks, can be transformed into recycled carbon fuels (RCFs). These are cost-effective and proven to enable owners-operators to extend decarbonisation compliance for their vessels. RCFs can contribute to reducing GHG by extending the life cycle of carbon in waste fossil sources, substituting for traditional fossil fuels and avoiding low-value incineration or disposal that results in additional GHG emissions. Beyond an environmental choice, the adoption of RCFs and lowcarbon fuels is a sound compliance strategy, one that avoids charges from the EU Emissions Trading System, carbon levies, or port emission rules. Evidently, these fuels must be produced to specific sustainability and environmental standards: the EU requires a minimum GHG reduction of at least 70% compared to its fossil fuel counterpart. That is no easy feat. It requires technological knowledge and expertise to transform feedstocks into ISO-compatible fuels that are proven to reduce emissions without compromising performance.

More than a fuel source

XFuel has developed a technology to do just that; one that is price-comparable

to fossil fuels. XFuel’s Chemical Liquid Refining technology (CLR – ‘CLEAR’) can refine marine sludge and other waste hydrocarbons into a direct replacement (drop-in) low-carbon marine gas oil (MGO), which is ISO 8217 DMA compliant, and compatible with existing engines and infrastructure.

The technology is both modular and decentralised. Each fuel production facility is CAPAX efficient and supported by a local supply chain. A single module can produce 14,000 tonnes of refined MGO annually from 16,000 tonnes of dewatered sludge. Importantly, the CLR technology is feedstock-flexible: besides marine sludge, it can process a variety of waste hydrocarbon liquid streams, which are being expanded by our R&D team. Its modular design allows for rapid scaling, which enables production to grow in step with demand. Modules can be strategically

located near ports, ensuring proximity to both waste feedstock providers and fuel off-takers, minimising supply chain environmental impact and reducing operational costs.

For shipowners, this represents more than a new fuel source. By investing in modular production and partnering with XFuel’s technical expertise, they can secure greater energy independence and exert end-to-end control over their fuel supply chain. This strategy supports decarbonisation goals affordably, without delay, and requiring no retrofits or infrastructure changes.

Converting waste into low-carbon fuel provides both environmental and economic advantages: it reduces the costs and emissions linked to waste disposal, delivers long-term operational savings, generates compliant fuel, and helps shield against volatile fuel prices – a win-win situation. ‚

XFuel is an SME with R&D headquarters on the Spanish Mallorca, making sustainable fuel a reality for hard-to-abate sectors of maritime, aviation, and HGV transport. The company has developed proprietary breakthrough conversion processes and technologies to produce high-grade, drop-in, low-carbon transport fuels from waste in a cost-efficient way. These meet fossil fuel specifications and performance, and are compatible with existing combustion engines and fossil fuel infrastructure, allowing for direct replacement today. Visit xfuel.com to discover more.

Photo: XFuel

How procurement and ship supply must change to support shipping’s sustainability goals

New standards

by Fitzwilliam Scott

The maritime sector is undergoing a profound transformation. Global decarbonisation goals, evolving regulatory frameworks, and rising commercial expectations are redefining ship supply and how systems that support procurement work. While technological innovation in fuel and vessel design has taken centre stage, a quieter but equally significant shift is unfolding behind the scenes: the digital and environmental evolution of procurement and ship supply. This isn’t just an operational change – it’s a strategic pivot, one that could define the success and sustainability of maritime businesses in the years to come.

For decades, procurement in the maritime world revolved around three key pillars: availability, speed, and cost. These remain important, but they are no longer the only benchmarks. Environmental impact, social governance, and ethical sourcing are emerging as new standards; not as idealistic extras but as operational imperatives.

Shipowners, charterers, and even port authorities are placing increased scrutiny on supply chains. Procurement teams must now ask not only ‘how much does it cost?’ but also ‘what’s the footprint of this delivery?’; ‘how was it sourced?’; and ‘does this align with our ESG targets?’

This evolution is part of a larger movement across shipping. Initiatives like the International Maritime Organization’s 2030 and 2050 targets, along with the EU’s Fit for 55 package and the Carbon Intensity Indicator framework, are pushing for measurable change. The procurement and ship supply sectors must now mirror that change – or risk becoming the weak link in an otherwise strong sustainability strategy.

The digital backbone

Sustainability isn’t the only force reshaping maritime supply. The digital revolution is accelerating how procurement decisions are made, communicated, and executed. In an industry long dominated by spreadsheets and manual requests for quotations, digital tools are streamlining processes and enabling smarter, faster, and more accountable sourcing.

Platforms like Quick Quote, developed by AVS Global Supply, illustrate this shift in action. Designed to reduce response times, simplify quotation requests, and increase transparency, tools like these reduce procurement friction while generating valuable data insights for both suppliers and buyers.

What is more, digital platforms offer better traceability, smarter stock control, and predictive analytics, all essential in an era where supply disruptions, emissions tracking, and cost pressures are ever-present. Digitalisation isn’t just modernising the supply chain – it’s helping to future-proof it.

Beyond reputation boost

Buyers are no longer satisfied with price lists and delivery dates. They want to know the origin of goods, the working conditions behind them, the emissions involved in getting them on board, and the supplier’s own environmental & social credentials. In short, transparency is in high demand.

That is why responsible suppliers are going beyond compliance. AVS Global Supply is a proud participant in the UN Global Compact, aligning with 10 globally recognised principles covering human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption. This isn’t just a reputation boost – it’s a way of embedding transparency and accountability into every tier of the supply chain.

As pressure mounts on ship operators to demonstrate sustainability performance, especially to regulators, financiers, and cargo owners, they are seeking out suppliers who

share their values and can support their reporting obligations. In this context, transparency has become a procurement prerequisite.

Another major trend is supply solution customisation. Gone are the days when ship supply meant generic products delivered in bulk. Today, vessels require tailored solutions that reflect their operational profiles, crew needs, regulatory status, and environmental goals. For instance, ships running on alternative fuels, such as LNG or methanol, require new safety equipment, auxiliary systems, and handling tools. Vessels sailing in emission control areas need compliant low-sulphur products and documentation to match.

Accordingly, long voyages demand resilient provisioning strategies with minimal waste. Modern suppliers must offer more than catalogue ordering. They must advise, anticipate, and adapt. From curated catering programmes and waste-reduction solutions to region-specific inventory planning, supply partners have to act as strategic extensions of their clients’ operations.

Innovation-forward

Sustainability in ship supply doesn’t always require a radical overhaul. In many cases, it’s about making smart changes with measurable outcomes.

Consider water provisioning. A single vessel can consume over 12,000 plastic bottles annually, generating waste, storage challenges, and health concerns. In response, AVS Global Supply has partnered with AQUAREX to launch AVS Water,

a compact onboard filtration system that replaces bottled water entirely. The results are immediate: reduced plastic waste, lower costs, more efficient storage, and improved crew well-being. This is just one example of how practical innovation, born out of listening to operational pain points, can make a major difference.

Food provisioning is another area ripe for re-imagination. While it’s often treated as a logistics task, it intersects directly with environmental performance, crew welfare, and even retention. AVS’ Caring Beyond Catering initiative shows what’s possible. It combines nutritional expertise, cultural sensitivity, and waste minimisation to create holistic catering strategies that support not just operational efficiency but human sustainability at sea. This includes balanced

menu planning to meet dietary needs within budget, reduction in single-use packaging, plant-forward meal options to lower emissions, and smart inventory to minimise food waste. It is an approach that feeds more than the body – it supports morale, health, and retention (particularly important in a sector where crews are away from home for long periods and where workforce well-being is increasingly linked to performance).

Sustainability also demands rethinking the logistics behind ship supply. Delivering provisions and parts to over 1,500 ports, as AVS does, requires more than scale. It calls

for coordination, local partnerships, and sustainable logistics strategies. By investing in regional networks, ISO-certified processes, and 24/7 coordination systems, AVS and similar leaders are able to reduce redundant shipments, lower fuel use in deliveries, and offer just-in-time solutions that limit waste and downtime. Where possible, local sourcing gets priority to reduce transportation emissions and support community economies, reinforcing a more circular and responsible supply model.

From transactional to transformational

In today’s environment, ship supply is no longer about simply responding to orders. It’s about being a proactive, informed, and adaptable partner. Suppliers must now support clients with compliance, ESG reporting, training, and even digital integration. That is why companies like AVS are expanding their role – from vendor to strategic ally. They are advising clients on procurement best practices, helping anticipate regulationdriven needs, and integrating smart tools that support speed, consistency, and sustainability. The relationship is shifting from transactional to transformational.

As regulatory, commercial, and public scrutiny grows, the procurement function is becoming more than a back-office operation – it’s a competitive lever. Operators who embrace sustainable and digitalised procurement will position themselves for preferred status with financiers, customers, and port authorities alike. Suppliers that can contribute to sustainability targets, simplify reporting, and improve operational resilience will be the ones who thrive; those who lag – risk becoming obsolete. Maritime’s future will be shaped not only by what fuels we burn or what vessels we build but by how we provision, how we source, and who we trust to deliver.

Ship supply, once seen as a secondary consideration, is now a strategic front line in the industry’s shift towards sustainability and digitalisation. With the right suppliers – those who are agile, accountable, and aligned with tomorrow’s goals – shipowners can not only meet compliance demands but build a smarter, greener, and more resilient operation. By investing in innovation, committing to responsible practices, and staying ahead of regulatory change, AVS Global Supply isn’t just keeping up – it’s helping lead the change. ‚

Established in 1985, AVS is pioneering global, fast, and reliable solutions in ship supply, catering, management, logistics, and global procurement services. Our foundation rests on a network of 1,500+ ports in 126 countries, ensuring we deliver excellence in every service we offer. Head to avsglobalsupply.com to learn more.

Photo: AVS

Energising tomorrow

by Alexa Ivy

Interferry, the association representing the ferry industry worldwide, urges governments to use their carbon tax revenues to invest in onshore power supply (OPS) infrastructure for battery charging, something critical in the ferry industry’s journey towards net-zero emissions.

Ferries of all sizes serve as lifelines to communities across the globe, offering essential transportation services for passengers and goods. According to a 2021 study conducted by Oxford Economics on behalf of Interferry, the sector is far larger than many might assume. It carries approximately 4.3 billion passengers and 373 million vehicles annually, underpinning its vital economic and social role. What sets ferries apart from many other maritime sectors is their operational profile. With most crossings lasting between 30 minutes and two hours, ferry routes are particularly well-suited to battery-electric propulsion.

“Ferry operators are already the prime trailblazers in adopting battery-based propulsion,” says Interferry’s CEO, Mike Corrigan. “But to meet the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) and the EU’s ambitious decarbonisation targets, the land side urgently needs to follow suit.” Corrigan

stresses that the deployment of a robust OPS infrastructure is the critical missing link in enabling ferries to reach their full emissions-reduction potential. He underscores, “Investment in OPS infrastructure is key to the energy transition of ferry operations worldwide. It supports the adoption of battery technology and helps reduce reliance on scarce supplies of alternative clean fuels.”

Corrigan also points out that too much attention has been paid to ‘cold ironing’ – providing ships with shore power while at berth – while overlooking the need for high-capacity charging systems capable of powering ferry propulsion batteries. “We need to shift the focus beyond the electricity for the hotel load alone. It’s the ability to recharge propulsion batteries efficiently and affordably that will truly move the needle.”

Technology – ready; infrastructure – not

In recent years, ferry operators in Europe and North America have made

significant investments in hybrid and full-electric propulsion systems, enabling zero-emission operations on shorter routes and hybrid performance on longer ones. Some Interferry members are even preparing for medium-distance routes using battery capacities as large as 100MWh. “The technology is there, and ferry operators are ready to invest,” Corrigan states. “But without the corresponding battery charging infrastructure in place, many operators remain in limbo about committing to full-electric or hybrid vessels.”

He notes that governments and utilities are often reluctant to invest aggressively in OPS development. This hesitation is acting as a bottleneck to further progress. “As an organisation, we’ve been lobbying governments, port authorities, and electricity suppliers for years to prioritise OPS,” Corrigan says. “Yet we’re seeing that OPS deployment still lags

behind onboard battery installations by up to 10 years.”

Most existing OPS facilities serve only the vessel’s electricity needs while at berth, without accommodating battery charging. Interferry’s CEO emphasises that without investment in grid capacity and port-side infrastructure, batterypowered ferries cannot reach their full potential. To address this funding gap, Interferry proposes a simple but powerful solution: reinvest carbon tax revenues into OPS infrastructure.

Driver of the green change

With the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and other carbon-based schemes generating significant revenue, Corrigan argues that a big portion of these funds should be earmarked for OPS deployment: “Billions of Euros are collected under the EU ETS, yet we face the challenge of accessing those funds at the national level.” He furthers, “We believe that EU Member States must prioritise OPS funding for ports based on operational scale and the number of ferries served.” Doing so would require coordinated collaboration among port authorities, energy utilities, and municipalities, ensuring that investment flows to where it can make the most meaningful impact.

Corrigan also warns that some utilities are charging ferry operators unsustainable rates for OPS usage. “This is utterly disappointing,” he remarks. “When prices are artificially high, operators may choose to recharge their batteries using fuel-based generators instead, completely undermining the goal of reducing emissions.” He calls for transparent and fair pricing models that encourage rather than deter the use of clean shore power.

Looking ahead, Interferry’s CEO says the energy infrastructure in many industrialised countries needs a more strategic and coherent approach – one that considers the rising importance of electric transport, including ferry shipping. “This includes upgrading the entire port infrastructure,” he says. “The EU can lead the way and set a global benchmark for OPS deployment. A strong, coordinated push today will enable us to meet the critical greenhouse gas reduction targets for 2030 and 2040.”

Corrigan concludes by reaffirming the ferry industry’s position as a leader in sustainable maritime innovation. “Our sector is a driver of green propulsion technologies. OPS is a cornerstone of our decarbonisation efforts, and it must

be supported with the appropriate infrastructure. We need a holistic approach – from ship to shore – to make meaningful reductions in carbon emissions.” ‚

Interferry is a highly respected global ferry trade association with consultative status at the IMO and similar influence at the EU, as well as with many other maritime governance authorities. Speaking on behalf of more than 280 companies and representing 2,200+ individuals in over 40 countries, its primary purposes are to represent the ferry industry on regulatory and policy matters, including safety and sustainability, and to facilitate networking and communications among its members. Ferry to interferry.com to learn more.

Photo: Port of Kalundborg

Beyond classical logistics

by Przemysław Myszka

Traditionally, during the transport logistic trade fair in Munich, we sat with GEODIS to get a taste of the market. This time around of sustainability as we met Virginie Delcroix, the company’s EVP in charge of sustainable development. We talked about GEODIS’ environmental footprint across all scopes and how the organisation intends to lower it, among others, through electrification and circularity, but also the company’s engagement in wider societal affairs, including what it means to offer ethical logistics.

‚ Can you walk us through the company’s carbon emissions and the ways of axing them?

Even though GEODIS isn’t a listed company, it’s important for us to be transparent with our stakeholders. Last year, we emitted – across all scopes – 4.8 million tonnes CO2e, of which scope 3 accounted for 92% (particularly sub-contracted transportation). Road transport is by far the biggest ‘contributor,’ responsible for 35% of our total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. But by looking at it from a tonne-kilometre perspective, road accounts for 20% of transport performance. Air freight, 30% of our GHG footprint, is 3.0% in t-km. Shipping goods by sea is, respectively, 12% and 75%. This shows the difference in the carbon intensity of each transport mode. And while logistics is about flexibility, swapping air for road and the latter for sea or rail isn’t always possible. At the end of 2024, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) validated our emission reduction commitments. From the baseline of 2020-22, our 2030-aim for scopes 1 & 2 is to reduce the footprint (in absolute terms) by 42%. For scope 3, there are different targets. The two main ones concern sub-contracted air transports (-25%, also in absolute terms) and road-rail-sea (-25% but here in carbon intensity).

In 2024, we were on track with the targeted trajectory thanks to a few contributions. GEODIS has around 10 million square metres of operational sites (mainly logistics centres and warehouses). These are becoming more energy efficient by switching to renewable or low-carbon electricity as well as reducing the demand for it overall (with the focus put in the first place on the most energy-consuming facilities). Second, fuel switch for our truck fleet, coupled with measures such as ecodriving and investing in Euro 6 vehicles that consume less. Also, our e-truck park essentially doubles every year (some 100 units at the end of last year, mostly for urban deliveries in France, but also electric tractors that operate directly between manufacturing and logistics centres). The e-fleet ties to our operational sites, as they are charged there. We are waiting for the heavy-duty charging infrastructure to catch up with the developments made by truck producers to electrify long-haul forwarding as well.

GEODIS counts on the continued development of electric vehicles, so that in the (hopefully not so distant) future, an e-truck won’t cost up to three times more than a diesel one. We see electric vehicles as the dominant technology in the future, with their total cost of ownership rivalling and

then outpacing trucks with combustion engines – maybe even within a decade.

‚ Speaking of trucking, have you been affected by the persistent lack of drivers in Europe?

GEODIS is fortunate in that it has never had to cancel a shipment because there wasn’t a driver to sit behind the wheel. We treat our truckers well – in terms of contracts and safety. Especially the latter is crucial as drivers can get under a lot of pressure – loading, unloading, and delivering that cargo. That said, safety is a golden standard at GEODIS –and a two-lane road in which we carry out a lot of training but also are open to trucker feedback on how to improve this-and-that. The working environment should never be a point of concern when recruiting and retaining personnel. Also gone are the days when the trucker workforce comprised people in their 20s and 30s. We need to assist older truckers in meeting their needs to keep them and their experience. Interestingly, in the context of the aforementioned electrification of trucks, drivers already love their e-machines because of less noise and vibration.

‚ You seem to place a particular emphasis on the circular economy. How are you engaged in this field?

We support circularity on several levels. First, at GEODIS’ sites (some 1,000 of them) where we handle a lot of materials, inevitably producing waste. Here, for starters, we’ve begun measuring the in- and outflow. We do that to know what we can recycle – and we currently recycle three-quarters of the materials that go through our hands, so to speak. Second, reverse logistics. Third, monitoring our equipment – we fix rather than replace (and if we have to, we dismantle the entire thing so it can be recycled).

We are conducting awareness campaigns and engaging our 50,000 employees, and we can see that more and more of them are proud of their involvement in the sustainability movement. There are certain regions where waste management isn’t so developed at the country level, and it’s rewarding to see GEODIS people doing their best to minimise waste output. Other areas have circularity competitions between the sites who will perform better.

To encourage business decision-makers, climate-related criteria are integrated into senior executives’ variable compensation at our company. To achieve that, leaders need to engage their teams in meeting those GEODIS’ SBTi-verified goals.

‚ Apart from circularity, GEODIS also underscores the ethical side of logistics. What is in the company’s Code of Ethics?

It covers anti-corruption, competitive practices, compliance, human rights, environmental issues, etc., and it includes both GEODIS and the parties we conduct business with. Whoever wants to work with us needs to commit to GEODIS’ code of conduct – it’s part of the tender process. But commitment alone isn’t enough – they need to act accordingly. And we diligently check if they do – across the 60 countries we are present in and the 100 more we connect. If there are gaps, we help our partners fill them. It is sometimes a delicate affair, as cultural differences may come into play. That said, if there are violations and an

insufficient effort to stop them, we cease working with them altogether. In line with its purpose, GEODIS is doing everything it can to position the company as a deliverer of efficient, innovative, sustainable, and ethical logistics. That is what we believe to be the future of transport – irrespective of what geopolitics or the global economy throw at the sector. This is certainly more than the classical logistical issues of, say, optimising the supply chain, but that’s the lay of the land – already today and increasingly more tomorrow. Hopefully, the market will recognise the value of such logistics. ‚

Photo: GEODIS

Nemag & SMT Shipping’s journey to a 25% productivity

From challenge to conquest

by Fitzwilliam Scott

One of Nemag’s customers, SMT Shipping , has achieved significant transhipment advancements, particularly in West Africa on TSV Conakry Pearl . This region presents a unique challenge due to its shallow shores, extending 10 to 20 meters in depth for up to 10 miles. To be profitable, you will have to ship your cargo on colossal ore carriers. These capesize vessels can export up to 200,000 tonnes. However, these fully loaded enormous ships, 18 meters in depth, cannot approach the shore. The traditional solutions, like constructing extensive jetties or dredging long channels, are economically unviable. This is where SMT Shipping’s expertise comes into play.

The company owns and operates vessels with a unique combination of high-loading capacities and shallow drafts. “This allows us to transport a significant amount of cargo from the terminal, usually located on a river in West Africa, to the open sea. We then use large cranes to transfer the cargo to Capesize vessels, also known as Newcastlemax bulk carriers. For rapid and voluminous transfers, a highly efficient grab is essential,” explains Marc Smeets, Technical Project Manager at SMT Shipping. With revenue calculated per tonne, the challenge is clear: “We need to optimize the continuous cargo transfer process to maximize our profit.”

The challenge: different cargo needs a different grab

Originally, SMT’s vessels in West Africa transferred bauxite. When the market for it collapsed, SMT was compelled to shift to iron ore transfer for a client in Sierra Leone. This transition posed challenges because of the different specific gravities of bauxite and iron ore. The former is lighter than the latter, respectively around 1.6 vs 2.5 tonnes per cubic meter. Therefore, each material asks for a unique type of grab that maximizes efficiency without compromising the safety and integrity of the crane system.

Although they purchased a specialized bauxite scissors grab from Nemag, the differing weight characteristics of iron ore presented issues with crane overloading, impacting the time of each unloading cycle – a vital factor in their revenue model calculated on a per-tonne basis. Smeets explains that SMT

now had three different grabs at their disposal; yet, none of them were ideally suited for the specific characteristics of the iron ore they were now transferring. “We had one too-small clamshell grab, a too-big bauxite clamshell grab, and the big bauxite scissor grab from Nemag.” It sounds like a luxurious position to have three grabs available. “Our technical management wasn’t so eager because we already had three expensive grabs on board. But I was fully convinced that we needed a new grab – since they all didn’t enable optimal productivity.”

The solution: faster = better

Facing a challenge with their grab selection for iron ore transhipment, SMT Shipping began exploring the best possible grab solution. They had already experienced Nemag’s craftsmanship with their scissors grab purchase.

“Martine, an account manager at Nemag, already told us about the NemaX grab,” Smeets recalls. “So we returned to Nemag, where she shared a pretty promising presentation. We could also see and experience the NemaX in operation at a steel manufacturer in IJmuiden near Nemag. This live demonstration was very convenient and showed firsthand how satisfied everybody was.” He furthers, “In addition, she calculated and presented data comparing the cycle times of various grabs, revealing that the NemaX showed a remarkable productivity improvement of 14% and 19% compared to the clamshell and scissors grabs with similar specifications. This gave us valuable insights into the performance difference and a clearer

view of the total cost of ownership. These numbers also convinced the commercial manager to give this investment a try.”

The NemaX grab stood out because of its efficiency. Traditional clamshell grabs require a significant amount of wire to be pulled in and out, taking valuable time with each cycle. In contrast, the NemaX grab uses a fraction of the wire length compared to standard grabs. With SMT’s small clamshell grab, the wire length is 13 meters compared to the 8.7 meters of the NemaX grab. “Saving seconds on each cycle doesn’t seem much until you calculate the impact on an annual basis,” Smeets notes.

Although the productivity looked promising, he still had to convince his boss. “Our owner always thought Nemag was a bit like the Mercedes or Ferrari of grab builders – the highest quality but overpriced when you only need to get from A to B.” Yet, he later discovered that the price difference between Nemag and its major competitors wasn’t all that significant. This ended his long-standing perception when he learned that Nemag’s prices are reasonably in line with the market. “High-skilled operators combined with the technical advantage of NemaX meant our overall efficiency would significantly improve. Recognizing the potential of the NemaX grab, as it is also co-developed with the Delft University of Technology, we decided to invest in it,” Smeets says. Comparing its productivity with other grabs in the Sierra Leone use case, NemaX emerged as superior thanks to its speed. This only reaffirmed the notion that faster transfer times result in higher profits.

The result: productivity up 25%, three-month ROI, easier & safer maintenance

Following the integration of the NemaX grab into SMT Shipping’s operations, the company witnessed an increase in productivity that simply couldn’t go unnoticed. The crew had to get used to the new grab in the first weeks. But after their first month, the handling rate went from 1,000 to 1,250 tonnes per hour. The NemaX Grab boosted productivity by a quarter compared to the previous Nemag scissor grab, which wasn’t optimally suited for iron ore.

The fitting grab for the right job in this continuous transhipment process was an excellent decision – despite the other three available grabs at the ship. The stark improvement in performance resulted in an exceptional return on investment period of less than three months. “This NemaX grab paid itself back more than four times in its first year,” Smeets tells us.

Furthermore, the NemaX grab demonstrated superior safety and maintenance features. Breakdowns are annoying, tedious, and expensive if you’re on a ship in West Africa. With fewer moving parts than the traditional clamshell grab, SMT Shipping experienced zero breakdowns after transferring six million tonnes in the first year. Maintenance was also more straightforward. Technicians needed to climb up to service a clamshell grab, but the NemaX’s design allows for easy access

from the ground. The grab eliminates the risks associated with working at heights, especially on a moving vessel at open sea. Also, unlike a clamshell grab with eight sheaves and the same number of hinges, the NemaX grab only has two sheaves and one hinge. Fewer moving parts and easier access contribute to faster and more efficient maintenance processes.

From purchase to partnership

After seeing the success of the NemaX grab, SMT was eager to keep improving. If you continuously rotate through a 180degree cycle in the open sea, it results in some accidental sideway collisions now and then. The skilled crew, mainly of Polish workers, welded some modifications. These enhanced the grab’s strength with no downtime of the grab leaving the vessel.

Another challenge is West Africa’s seasonal climate. The wet season, stretching from May to October, alters the iron ore’s properties and affects the grab’s penetration ability. The rain in the wet season makes iron ore a bit heavier but also more lubricant and thus easier to penetrate. In the dry season, the ore is harder to penetrate and requires a heavier grab for the best performance.

However, a heavier grab designed for dry material underperforms in handling wet ore due to its extra weight. So, consistent efficiency levels are a challenge to sustain and usually turn into a compromise.

After the success of the NemaX grab, Smeets was interested in buying another grab to further increase their productivity. Open to innovation and custom improvements, Nemag also included the custom SMT-adjustments in the new grab that is currently being delivered after a successful factory acceptance test. Additionally, it has a unique feature to add or remove weight in the grab’s tubing. By changing its gravitational force, this hybrid solution can handle both wet and dry ore equally well. The second grab allows for more flexibility and functions as a productivity insurance for when the current NemaX grab needs large or unforeseen maintenance.

What appeared to be ‘just’ a grab-buy in the first place transformed into a partnership between SMT Shipping and Nemag. The two have opened the doors for future projects to tackle the unique challenges of open sea operations and ensure optimal performance and durability of grabs. ‚

Since Abraham Grootveld developed his first grab and launched Nemag back in 1924, the world has changed significantly. Through constant innovation and by closely listening to and working together with our customers to create optimal solutions, we are proud that we can still convey our founder’s passion for performance to this day. Grab your favourite drink and visit nemag.com to learn more about dry bulk grabs.

Photos: Nemag

How Baltic Exchange tools are helping shipowners prepare for FuelEU Maritime and beyond

Clarity to complexity

by Alexa Ivy

The global shipping industry stands at a pivotal point as it prepares for a fresh wave of environmental regulations. In October 2025, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will probably ratify new greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction measures; meanwhile, the European Union’s FuelEU Maritime Regulation will take effect in January. For shipowners and operators, these overlapping frameworks mark a decisive shift toward long-term emissions reduction and present a complex challenge in aligning commercial performance with regulatory compliance.

Unlike earlier regulatory models that set fixed technical or prescriptive standards in response to specific incidents, the upcoming rules are built around performance-based outcomes. FuelEU Maritime, for example, demands a gradual reduction in the GHG intensity of energy used by ships, but it does not prescribe how that should be achieved. Instead, shipping lines are expected to assess their own routes, vessel types, and operational decisions to reach increasingly ambitious targets – starting with a 2% reduction from 2025 and escalating to 80% by 2050. This flexibility introduces both opportunities and uncertainty. Companies must now evaluate a broader range of decisions, from fuel selection and engine technology to voyage routing and energy-saving investments, without a single, standardised blueprint for success.

In this shifting landscape, Baltic Exchange has developed a suite of tools designed to bring clarity to complexity. The Fuel Equivalence Converter and FuelEU

Maritime Calculator offer shipowners, charterers, and operators a practical way to assess the impact of fuel choices and technology investments on both emissions and commercial outcomes. At the heart of these tools is the need to translate regulation into executable strategy – helping users test assumptions, project returns, and plan for long-term compliance.

The toolbox

The Fuel Equivalence Converter addresses a longstanding challenge in the industry: how to compare various fuels, such as gases with liquids, on a simple and consistent basis. With multiple alternative fuels now available (including LNG, methanol, ammonia, and biodiesel), each with varying energy contents, emissions profiles, and pricing structures, making accurate like-for-like comparisons has become increasingly difficult.

The tool standardises these variables, allowing users to assess different fuel types based on energy equivalence, carbon intensity, and onboard storage implications. This

capability is essential under regulations like FuelEU Maritime, where compliance is judged on a fuel’s GHG intensity per unit of energy rather than by simple fuel categorisation. The FuelEU calculation tool also factors in real-world variables, such as engine type and voyage profile, enabling more accurate assessments of performance.

This means shipowners can better understand not only how a fuel performs environmentally, but what it means for operational cost and return on investment.

This becomes especially useful with transitional fuels like dual-fuel LNG. While it is often seen as a stepping stone toward decarbonisation, its actual emissions performance varies significantly depending on the engine used and operational parameters. The FuelEU Maritime Calculator allows users to account for these nuances, helping them evaluate whether LNG – or any other fuel – makes commercial and environmental sense for their specific context.

In addition, the Calculator helps shipping companies determine how close they

are to regulatory compliance, and what the cost of non-compliance might be. It allows users to input their vessel specifications, fuel consumption, voyage details, and operational behaviour to estimate a vessel’s GHG intensity score and measure it against FuelEU Maritime targets. The tool simulates different scenarios to determine potential penalties or credit requirements and offers insights into how changes in fuel type, speed, or technology adoption might influence outcomes. This functionality is particularly valuable given the introduction of the FuelEU Maritime credit trading system, where over-performing vessels can generate compliance credits that others may purchase to meet requirements. The Calculator supports financial planning by estimating how much these credits may be worth or cost, helping companies budget for potential exposure in this evolving market.

Green sprouts green

One of the strongest findings emerging from the use of these tools is that environmental performance and commercial efficiency are not mutually exclusive. Many times, emissions reductions can deliver real economic returns. Some energy-saving technologies, for instance, are already achieving payback in under two years, particularly when combined with incentives or avoided penalties. By modelling different investment options, users can identify which technologies or operational changes offer the best value for their fleet.

Operational efficiency is a critical part of the decarbonisation equation. Decisions such as optimising vessel speed, refining port call scheduling, and improving route planning can lead to significant emissions reductions without major capital expenditure. The Baltic Exchange tools encourage users to explore these areas by linking emissions performance with real-world operational data. This provides a holistic view of how different strategies, both aboard and onshore, can contribute to regulatory compliance while maintaining or improving commercial outcomes.

At the same time, the industry is seeing growing interest in market-based mechanisms that help bridge the gap between regulation and commercial decisionmaking. Baltic Exchange’s indices and pricing tools are already playing a vital role in this area. During recent events such as the Red Sea crisis, the TC20 index responded immediately to route shifts via the Cape of Good Hope, offering transparent, real-time insights into changing cost structures and voyage durations. These signals are now proving essential as operators face new emissions-related costs, such as FuelEU Maritime penalties, biofuel premiums, and carbon pricing.

Empowered

The need for trusted, timely, and transparent data will only grow. Baltic Exchange continues to expand its support for members with updated tools, tailored insights, and new capabilities aligned with emerging regulations. The goal is not to dictate what companies should do but to empower them with the information they need to make the right choices for their operations, their bottom lines, and the environment.

As October’s IMO ratification approaches and FuelEU Maritime’s first compliance year draws nearer, the Baltic Exchange’s tools are set to play an increasingly central role in helping the maritime sector meet its decarbonisation goals. In a world where regulatory clarity is often elusive, these practical solutions are providing the confidence, comparability, and strategic foresight the industry needs to chart a sustainable path forward. ‚

Founded in 1744, the London-headquartered Baltic Exchange represents a global community of 4,700 shipping interests, collectively responsible for handling a large proportion of the world’s dry cargo and tanker fixtures, freight derivative trades, as well as the sale and purchase of merchant vessels. As the world’s leading source of independent maritime market data, Baltic Exchange provides a framework for its members to commit to high standards of business practice. Sail to balticexchange.com to discover more.

Photos: Baltic Exchange

How to enable greener & smarter compliance across the maritime sector

Bridging regulatory pressure and business continuity

by Frederik Lerche-Tornoe, CEO, Oceanly

The Baltic Sea has long been a focal point for maritime environmental policy. Designated a Special Area under multiple MARPOL annexes, the region has seen aggressive regulatory efforts to curb emissions, protect marine ecosystems, and modernise port-to-port operations. Against this backdrop, Oceanly has introduced a new tool, ECOPAC (Emissions Control and Operational Performance Assessment and Compliance), poised to help shipping companies meet mounting compliance demands while advancing operational and commercial goals.

As regulatory momentum grows across the EU and the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) frameworks, ECOPAC aims to deliver more than just digital reporting. It functions as a performance-enhancing compliance engine, tailored to regional complexities, such as dense shipping traffic, diverse fleet types, seasonal challenges, and the introduction of market-based measures like the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and FuelEU Maritime.

The Baltic Sea is one of the busiest maritime corridors in Europe. Short-sea shipping, ferry and ro-ro services, feeder traffic, and ice-class operations converge in a highly interdependent ecosystem. While this makes the region a showcase for operational efficiency, it also leaves stakeholders exposed to mounting regulatory risks.

The phased inclusion of shipping into the EU ETS has introduced new obligations for voyage emissions monitoring, verified reporting, and carbon allowance surrender. Simultaneously, FuelEU Maritime will enforce new standards on greenhouse gas intensity from shipboard energy use. Add to this the IMO’s Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) requirements, and the region’s operators face a regulatory minefield. For many mid-sized and smaller operators, especially those without large in-house sustainability or digitalisation teams, this presents a serious operational burden.

Data-led actionable insights

We have developed ECOPAC to tackle these challenges. As an integrated compliance and performance solution, the platform supports automated EU ETS data capture

and reporting, FuelEU Maritime-readiness assessments, CII tracking with operational optimisation tools, and system-wide digitalisation with minimal crew burden.

The system works by consolidating onboard and shore-side data (such as fuel consumption, voyage information, port calls, and weather routing) and applying real-time analytics to generate actionable insights. With seamless integrations into most vessel management systems and direct links to accredited verifiers and registries, ECOPAC simplifies a process that was becoming increasingly fragmented and time-critical.

Baltic shipowners are already feeling the impact of the EU ETS. With carbon allowances priced between €60-100 per tonne of CO2 , even modest reporting errors can translate into significant financial exposure. ECOPAC ensures accurate emissions monitoring aligned with MRV/DCS protocols, while providing predictive forecasting tools to help owners manage allowance purchasing and surrender strategies. Real-time alerts notify operators of data anomalies, reducing the risk of non-compliance or financial penalties.

For regional operators exploring dualfuel vessels, biofuels, or onboard power systems, FuelEU Maritime represents an additional layer of decision-making. ECOPAC evaluates the well-to-wake emissions profile of different fuels, providing scenariobased modelling for future compliance. Baltic shipping companies navigating earlystage alternative fuel deployments, such as methanol in Sweden or shore power in Finland, can use ECOPAC to validate investments and prove performance to both regulators and clients. Several operators have already used ECOPAC’s FuelEU Maritime

forecasting tools to secure charters from environmentally focused cargo owners in Denmark and the Netherlands, who now require demonstrable progress on emissions as part of tendering.

Passenger ferries and feeder container ships, common in the Baltic, are particularly vulnerable to CII degradation due to variable speed and port turnaround dynamics. ECOPAC tracks CII scores continuously and flags vessels trending toward lower ratings. With actionable insights, operators can adapt speed profiles, adjust voyage planning, or implement energy-saving technologies before commercial impact sets in.

Unified

A common barrier to compliance is the increased burden on seafarers and shoreside staff. ECOPAC is designed to reduce –not increase – manual workload and training requirements.

Rather than bolting on separate tools for each regulation, ECOPAC offers a unified platform. For smaller regional players, this means fewer administrative burdens, reduced crew workload, and consolidated audit trails. Integration with classification societies and chartering platforms also enables consistent ESG reporting across the supply chain.

The solution allows for mobile and offline data entry (crews can input data with offline syncing, reducing reliance on constant connectivity) and auto-validation checks (it catches data entry anomalies – e.g., unrealistic fuel use, inconsistent timestamps –before submission). There is also application-programming-interface integration with existing platforms (including ABS NS, DNV Navigator, and LR’s OneOcean for harmonised workflows) and the option to

set configurable alerts and KPIs (users can customise alert thresholds, e.g., fuel deviation >3%, CII slippage risk, to focus only on actionable events).

Quantifiable benefits

The Baltic region has long been a test bed for green maritime practices, through port electrification, LNG bunkering, slowsteaming initiatives, and collaborative governance. As a scalable and transparent platform, ECOPAC can support broader regional efforts by standardising emissions benchmarks across ports and flag states, facilitating cross-border reporting for voyages that span multiple Baltic jurisdictions, providing reliable data sets for public-private environmental initiatives and empowering logistics partners with clear, verifiable sustainability metrics.

These features position ECOPAC not just as a compliance tool but as a data infrastructure layer for broader decarbonisation strategies. Operators across Europe, particularly in emission-controlled and regulatory-heavy regions like the Baltic, North Sea, and Mediterranean, have already seen quantifiable benefits. For example,

a mid-size container operator reduced average ETS costs by 8.7% across its EU-leg voyages through smarter routing and allowance forecasting, while a ro-pax operator improved its CII rating from D to C within two quarters using ECOPAC’s degradation modelling and adaptive speed scheduling. Across all ECOPAC deployments to date, fuel savings of 3-6% have been consistently reported (depending on vessel type and operational flexibility).

From regulation to resilience

What makes ECOPAC especially relevant is its focus on pragmatism. While the energy transition brings long-term goals, shipping companies need solutions that deliver measurable results today. ECOPAC does not ask operators to overhaul their operations overnight. Instead, it gives them tools

to understand, plan, and act accordingly. With environmental performance increasingly linked to chartering eligibility, access to finance, and customer loyalty, ECOPAC provides a bridge between regulatory pressure and business continuity.

The Baltic Sea is at the vanguard of maritime sustainability, and the pressure on operators is only set to increase. ECOPAC provides the tools to stay ahead by reducing emissions, optimising performance, and simplifying compliance. For stakeholders navigating this transition, it’s not just about meeting the next regulation; it’s about staying competitive in a sector that is being reshaped by climate policy, digitalisation, and market expectations. In this landscape, ECOPAC may well become a cornerstone for resilient and responsible shipping in the Baltic region. ‚

ECOPAC addresses a common inefficiency where vessels unnecessarily operate diesel generators at low load or keep electrical equipment active when it could be safely turned off. ECOPAC optimises onboard electrical systems to enhance operational sustainability. A standalone product, ECOPAC also works alongside Oceanly’s other digital solutions, like Oceanly Performance for holistic fleet analytics and operational optimisation. Go to theoceanly.com/ecopac to discover more.

Photos: Oceanly

Interview with Marc-Oliver Hauswald, CEO, JadeWeserPort-Marketing

Still plenty of room for growth

by Przemysław Myszka

The setup of JadeWeserPort (JWP) over a decade ago was one of those truly huge, greenfield investment projects that just couldn’t go unnoticed. Given the external circumstances of the time, the timing wasn’t all that perfect, with the kick-off operations experiencing a rather bumpy start. During the latest transport logistic in Munich, we sat with the new chief exec of JadeWeserPort-Marketing, Marc-Oliver Hauswald, to ask how the business is fairing in 2025 and what the company has in its development store.

‚ In what shape are your operations these days – and what do you expect from the coming years?

JWP is quite a young port, opened just 12 years ago. In short, it currently comprises two areas: the ISPS container terminal of EUROGATE and the Freight Village. The latter is a logistics centre, full of warehouses and various service partners. Some 70% of the Freight Village is already taken. Probably early next year, we’ll be full, with new clients establishing their businesses in Wilhelmshaven. The tender is ongoing – and what we hope to achieve this time around is to attract cargo owners to find their place with us. Among others, P3 JadeWeserPort is developing 140,000 square metres of logistics space, with the first hall of almost 32,000 already in operation, while two others will be ready soon. Whereas JWP didn’t have a rosy start, cargo traffic has picked up the pace: last year 843,000 TEUs went through our quays, an increase of almost 60% yearon-year. We are confident that the one million barrier will be broken in 2025. Also, Wilhelmshaven is handling more and more vehicles, too: around 74,000 in 2024, double what our seaport saw the year before. What is interesting about this finished vehicle segment is that the cars, mainly electric ones from China brought

by MOSOLF, are transported not only aboard vehicle carriers but also in containers (up to three in a single, 40-foot, high-cube box).

All in all, JWP is now increasingly capitalising on its position as Germany’s sole deepwater seaport, with 18 metres of depth at any time and 2.7 million TEU-capacity to be further utilised.

‚ What changes will the alliance between Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk bring to JadeWeserPort?

The Gemini Cooperation will use Wilhelmshaven as one of its hubs in Northern Europe. This is a crucial change because while JWP used to handle a lot of European exports, it was neighbouring ports that took care of Asian imports. Another change will be in the size of vessels. We are very fortunate to serve the China-Europe Express (CEX), a 26-day, no-stopover service between Ningbo and Wilhelmshaven (operated by the Port of Ningbo, which has also set up its own warehouse in the Freight Village). CEX, though it feeds us considerable volumes, is operated with two 5,000-TEU vessels (hopefully accompanied by a third before long). Gemini will bring the 24,000 carriers, plus the 10,000-TEU shuttles for traffic with the Baltic Sea region.

What is also very interesting about CEX is that it’s essentially a China-Hungary service via our seaport’s rail network. It takes just a day and a half to reach Budapest from Wilhelmshaven by train. I dare say there’s no faster way to reach Europe’s deep hinterland with a multimodal service than CEX. As such, we’re keen to see it transform from a twice-a-month into a weekly service. JWP was originally erected as a transhipment port. Today, some 60% of the traffic goes over the quay only, with the remaining 40% evenly split between trucks and trains. The latter benefits from the port’s marshalling yard with 16 tracks, while the former benefits from the fact that a highway goes straight to our gate. In short, we offer pure cargo connections that do not intersect with passenger traffic. What is more, we also gain from not having certain infrastructure, like old bridges, that make it particularly difficult to move project cargo. With Gemini, transhipment will only strengthen. There are also other concepts of using Wilhelmshaven this way, e.g., for carrying goods to us from Asia for onward shipping to North America to avoid going through the (sometimes troublesome) Panama Canal. This, CEX, and other developments are signs of a new trend, namely Chinese companies transporting components door-to-door for assembly in other countries, something unheard of

until recently. Not only does one see more imported Chinese cars on European streets, but the 300-hectare BYD factory in the Hungarian Szeged will begin assembling cars this year.

‚ How are you preparing to accommodate these developments?

If these and other projects come to fruition, we’ll have to up our capacity. Fortunately, there is enough ‘room’ within the seaport’s current premises to do exactly that. By this, I mean investing in automation and optimisation technologies, as well as in new cargo handling equipment. There are 10 ship-to-shore gantries now (including two

brand-new Liebherrs as of 2024); we would need six more to reach that 2.7 million TEU limit. The original eight bought for starting JWP could handle the largest container ships of the 2010s. Fast forward to today, and EUROGATE had to make them taller to serve what’s the norm nowadays. Another novelty for us has been remote operations with the new gantries. The container yard will also need an upgrade, with automatic straddle carriers that can lift more than three boxes. Altogether, there’s ‘room’ for handling 4.0-4.5 million TEUs within the current boundaries of Wilhelmshaven. All big ports of today are automating, and it’s my firm belief that carriers will only call to terminals that run automatically. We need to make such investments to stay in the game once shipping lines start chasing after those 30 thousand-TEU vessels. That said, other segments won’t go unnoticed. A heavy-duty ro-ro ramp will make it possible to handle larger car carriers. Also, we have already handled components for (onshore) wind farms – and that’s a piece of the transport & logistics business cake we are eager to hold on to. A new multipurpose terminal in Wilhelmshaven is thus on the drawing board.

‚ What other cargo segments are you targeting?

To further drive the green transition, countries will need new energy hubs, including for future fuels, either for producing them or storing (or both). We could put that offshore wind energy to good use by producing green hydrogen directly on the quayside. Places like JWP are privileged here as we’ve been set up as a greenfield project. We don’t have to compete with citizens for land access or demolish one infrastructure to make room for another. There is enough space to grow new businesses, including energy ones. Luckily, the ‘old’ Port of Wilhelmshaven is already furnished with a pipeline system that could be refurbished to take care of future energy molecules. In the meantime, EUROGATE is greening its container operations, going from diesel to hybrid to electric. We do our part by, among others, investing in LED lights. Photovoltaic systems atop warehouse roofs are also on our agenda (contrary to wind turbines directly in the port – others have shared that having them has turned out to be too big of a headache). The mentioned logistics halls of P3 will harvest solar power. ‚

Photos: JadeWeserPort

Interview with Catarina Fant, Director Brand, Communications & Sustainability, and Tony Ehrs, Director Cargo, Wasaline

Ship happens!

by Przemysław Myszka

Another transport logistics interview in Munich saw us berthing at the booth of Wasaline. We spoke with Catarina Fant and Tony Ehrs about the Finnish-Swedish ferry line’s recent performance, especially its intermodal component, new travel trends, adding to the green credentials of Aurora Botnia , as well as receiving distinctions and campaigning for maritime awareness.

‚ How did Wasaline fare recently?

Last year, our Aurora Botnia ferry carried 21,250 ro-ro cargo units, up 1.7% on the 2023 result. We owe it to the Finnish and Swedish markets being in a pretty healthy shape, as well as intermodal volumes coming all the way up & down on the Umeå-Southern Sweden-continent corridor. This year’s volumes are more or less on par with 2024. While Wasaline’s base catchment area is the 400-500-kilometre trade lane west & east of Umeå and Vaasa, including the Norwegian coast, we’d really like to grow intermodally on the north-south axis as well. In fact, the 2024 advance was mainly thanks to the volumes coming by train. These are modest now, around 1.5% of the total, but we’re working on bumping them up to 5%, either already this year or in 2026. Umeå is fortunate to have a railroad going into the seaport. The fundamental challenge with getting more cargo on rails is to convince clients they can exchange a good road service for an even better rail one. Test shipments are crucial in this regard, likewise showing that others are already using this service to their advantage. We are also counting on the logistics sector to embrace the sustainability movement more & more – and it’s hard to imagine a greener combination than rail and our ferry if you want to move a truck or trailer

to Finland from the European mainland and vice versa. Wheeled cargo moving by rail inside Finland is trickier. It is possible already today, but only if one could provide sufficiently big volumes, e.g., on the VaasaHelsinki corridor.

The passenger side of the business is also doing decently enough, with over 253 thousand travellers taking a trip aboard Aurora Botnia in 2024. Recently, we noted a new trend, namely tourists coming in the first quarter of the year from less winter-ish countries, say Germany, to see a vessel passing through ice. That and, of course, the northern lights and the overall ‘icy vibe’ of the Kvarken Strait. There are groups booked for such trips for Q1 2026 already. This is a more than welcome change as each year’s beginning, especially January, was a challenging period travel-wise. Also, we see more tourists from Central Europe coming with their campers.

‚ Your ferry is already running in hybrid mode – why did you decide to turn the volume up?

Just before transport logistics in Munich, we shared that Aurora Botnia’s battery pack will get bigger. AYK Energy will help us upgrade the ferry’s current system of 2.2MWh by an additional 10.4MWh. Thanks to this upgrade, with dry-docking scheduled for

January 2026, Wasaline expects to cut the ship’s greenhouse gas emissions by 23% –towards fully carbon-neutral operations by 2030. The ports of Umeå and Vaasa are already prepared to supply more electricity at shore. We are also very fortunate as this (hydro & wind) energy is both green and relatively cheap.

Just as a reminder, Aurora Botnia entered traffic on 28 August 2021, and her carbon footprint is already lower by nearly 80% per trip vs Wasa Express, the previous ro-pax serving the Umeå-Vaasa crossing. Naturally, in our case – the world’s northernmost regular ferry service – a lot depends on the weather. Last year was pretty mild, meaning our energy demand was lower; 2023, however, saw a long, almost unending winter, with half a metre thick sea ice.

Apart from battery operations, our ferry runs on liquefied natural gas, including its bio-version. Clients, both passengers and cargo, have the option of offsetting their footprint while sailing with Aurora Botnia We would love to run on bioLNG only – and bunker supply-wise; that’s a doable thing today. However, the price spread is still prohibitive to make the switch and pay for the greener fuel solely out of our pocket. Then again, with all the regulations targeting the carbon footprint of shipping, this gap will probably narrow sooner rather than later. And there’s also the walking-the-talk

issue. On the passenger side, clients can pay two euros more to ‘bioLNG’ their trip, so to speak. It is an amount that most probably won’t send anybody debt-spiralling, but only around 1% of passengers actually go green. On a more positive note, all conferences booked on board Aurora Botnia are batterypowered, so CO2-neutral. Regulations – old, new, and whatever pops up in the future – don’t stress us too much, as we’re already way more sustainable than what the law of today or tomorrow requires. Batteries, bioLNG, cold ironing in both ports – we’re the ones capitalising on the green transition, including the surplus compliance under the FuelEU Maritime Regulation.

‚ What is the Finnish Key Flag, and how did you achieve this distinction?

Aurora Botnia has received it because it’s made domestically in over 80%. The ferry was put together by Rauma Marine Constructions, plus the technology and interior installations also came from Finland (just to mention Wärtsilä engines, Danfoss drives, and WE Tech energy solution, all from Vaasa). Another Key Flag has been granted because our crew is local.

We are also part of Responsible Tourism Västerbotten and Sustainable Travel Finland, initiatives that are all about sustainability, not only from a technological point of view but also regarding operations, material use, onboard service, etc. Among others, we carry out courses on the circular economy with our crew. That is to get more action on real sustainability than just sweet talk about the importance

of (some future) greening – something the entire transport & logistics business could embrace more boldly.

‚ Is it easy or challenging to recruit & retain staff up in the North?

Wasaline is a brand widely recognised in the region. Employing people does not loom large in our HR department. Particularly, Vaasa has a very rich maritime heritage, with families living off the sea generation after generation. That said, we’re partaking in the ‘Ship Happens’ campaign of the Finnish Shipowners’ Association, aimed at attracting new talent to the maritime industry. It is a very social media-heavy action, trying this way to familiarise potential seafarers with the ins & outs of life at sea, including adventure but also responsibility. ‚

Photos: Wasaline

Sweden and Lithuania chart the course to zero-emission shipping

by Monika Rogo, Communication Manager, BPO

Within the EU-co-funded Blue Supply Chains (BSC) project, the Swedish Umeå and the Lithuanian Kaunas are redefining the future of green shipping. Two ambitious initiatives – Sweden’s roadmap for a climate-neutral seaport in Umeå and Lithuania’s electrification of the Nemunas River – are setting a new standard for sustainable maritime transport. Both projects demonstrate how innovation, local energy resources, and strategic planning can speed up the transition to zero-emission logistics across Europe.

The Swedish case

The City of Umeå has unveiled a detailed plan to reach climate neutrality by 2040, including the transition to renewable fuels in port and transport operations. Developed by IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute together with the Port of Umeå, Umeå Energy, Umeå Municipality, and Infrastruktur i Umeå (INAB), the roadmap envisions replacing fossil fuels with locally produced green hydrogen and electro-methanol. Umeå’s strategic advantages include access to abundant sources of renewable electricity (hydro & wind), biogenic CO2 (from district heating) and clean water for hydrogen electrolysis, as well as robust sea & rail transport infrastructure.

Projections show that a large-scale production plant in Umeå Eco Industrial Park could supply up to 110,000 tonnes of e-methanol annually by 2030. The ferry line Wasaline, which plies between Umeå and the Finnish Vaasa, has been identified as a key early adopter. Other players, including SCA through their fleet renewal, will also support the long-term emission cut ambitions. The analysis

included three strategic scenarios, with Umeå most likely becoming the export hub for renewable fuels – exceeding initial domestic demand.

The Lithuanian case

Through the Lithuanian Inland Waterways Authority project, Lithuania is set to transform its inland waterway transport by electrifying the Nemunas River corridor between Kaunas and Klaipėda.

Backed by EU and national funding, this initiative will eliminate over 48,000 truck journeys per year, significantly cutting CO2 emissions and congestion. Since 2019, over €27 million has been invested to modernise the E41 waterway, rebuild infrastructure, and enable year-round shipping. Each barge replaces 106 trucks and saves 21 tonnes of CO2 per trip.

Lithuania will also see its river tonnage & port infrastructure upgraded with six electric pushers, 12 cargo barges, 27 battery containers, and three smart charging hubs – in Klaipėda, Jurbarkas, and Kaunas Marvelė. The country has committed to funding 90% of the grid expansion costs, enabling high-capacity

charging (up to 750kW per vessel), and ensuring predictable long-term electricity pricing.

Decarbonisation

by design

Both work teams assessed a range of clean propulsion options: battery-electric, methanol, hydrogen, and hybrid systems. In the Swedish case, e-methanol and hydrogen were prioritised for deep-sea and ferry use due to their energy density and decarbonisation potential. Though the latter poses greater infrastructure and safety challenges (a.o., the need for 1,000 bar storage, hydrogen-induced cracking), it’s still regarded as part of the long-term agenda.

In the Lithuanian case, battery-electric emerged as the fastest solution to deploy for inland waterways, offering simpler infrastructure and lower operational costs. Push boats with 660kW azimuth propulsion and 3.6-metre elevating wheelhouses are tailored for the Nemunas’ unique conditions. Electro-balance modelling, simulations of computational fluid dynamics, and real-world testing have confirmed vessel performance and energy requirements in both regions.

Where infrastructure meets climate policy

Both projects emphasise the importance of infrastructure-readiness and regulatory support; in Sweden, for upgrading onshore power (OPS), providing future-fuel bunkering, and integrating carbon capture (operational by 2029), while in Lithuania, for

reinforcing port docks, adding cranes for handling those 30-tonne battery containers, and securing fixed-rate electricity contracts. EU rules, like FuelEU Maritime and the inclusion of shipping in its Emissions Trading System, will further drive the adoption of clean fuels, according to the project parties.

What’s next

In the Swedish case, in 2027, the rail link between the seaport and the Umeå Eco Industrial Park will be completed; carbon capture operations will be in full swing two years later; in 2030, e-methanol production will kick off; in 2040, full port and municipal climate neutrality will be achieved. In Lithuania, the public tender and construction of the first e-push boats are scheduled for this year; in 2026-27, the Klaipėda-Jurbarkas-Kaunas Marvelė charging stations will go live; and in 2030, the complete inland waterways fleet will become operational.

From Baltic innovation to global impact

Both roadmaps highlight that early grid and port infrastructure investment is key; that cross-sectoral collaboration improves cost control and roll-out speed; that tailored vessel designs outperform retrofits in green corridors; and that policy clarity and local leadership unlock funding and public support.

As Europe races to meet its climate targets, these two initiatives from Northern Europe prove that zero-emission shipping is not just a future vision — it’s already underway. With complementary technologies, integrated energy planning, and strong governance, Lithuania and Sweden are offering scalable models for ports and rivers across the continent. Click here to access the BSC Umeå-Kaunas roadmaps ‚

Future vision for the Port of Umeå; photo: Belatchew

The Baltic and Norwegian cruise markets – report

BPO has published a new insight paper, examining how over 30 cruise ports from across the Baltic, plus Norway’s 14 largest, fared in 2024.

The Baltic cruise market has consistently struggled to return to its pre-pandemic levels. Just as the industry was recovering, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine negatively impacted it. The 2024 market experienced a decrease in both ship calls and passenger numbers. That

said, last year was also characterised by more off-season calls vs 2023. Statisticswise, the ports of Aalborg and Malmö left the Cruise Baltic network, hence the lack of data for them (but the 2025 cohort grew with the Swedish Härnösand).

Conversely, Norwegian ports recorded sustained high cruise traffic in 2024.

This could have come at the expense of the Baltic, though. Cruise lines have scratched St. Petersburg from their itineraries, and the Baltic Sea might now come across as a region located too closely to the ongoing war to some operators’ tastes. Contact BPO to get your copy of the report

BPO lunch debate in Brussels

At the end of May 2025, the European Parliament (EP) hosted the BPO Lunch Debate, an annual meeting that brings together representatives of Baltic ports and EU institutions. We were once again honoured to have Merja Kyllönen, Member of the EP and the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN), as the host of this important event.

The Debate aimed to highlight the challenges that Baltic ports are already facing or will soon have to tackle, as well as to foster dialogue between the region’s and European seaports and EU decision-makers. Key topics included the EU Port Strategy, investments in the maritime industry, and financing opportunities.

A big thank you to all the participants for such a constructive and inspiring exchange. We look forward to continuing this vital dialogue for the sake of the Baltic and European ports’ future. Special thanks to Merja Kyllönen; Fotini Ioannidou, Director of Waterborne Transport in the Directorate General for Mobility and Transport; Martin Seidel,

Advisor to the European Coordinator for the European Maritime Space; Isabelle Ryckbost, Secretary General, European Sea Ports Organisation; Helena Taimisto, Head of MEP Cabinet (APA); Jan Steinkohl, Adviser of the North SeaBaltic European Coordinator; and Anaëlle Boudry, Senior Policy Advisor, European Community Shipowners’ Associations. ‚

Photo: BPO

Flexible shore power solutions for European ports

Beyond the grid

by Dave Lee, Executive Director, e1 Marine

As the 2030 FuelEU Maritime deadline looms, pressure is mounting for Europe’s ports to deliver viable shore power solutions that can serve a growing global fleet. The Regulation requires container ships and passenger vessels with a gross tonnage (GT) of over 5,000 to connect to shore-side electricity while at berth in Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) ports. It is a positive step for progressing decarbonization, but meeting the requirements of this mandate could be easier said than done. Let us discuss the challenges Europe’s seaports face in scaling shore power and the options available to support existing infrastructure.

Despite Europe leading globally in shore power adoption, with more than 50% of TEN-T Core Ports offering onshore power supply (OPS) at one or more berths, a stark reality remains: many still lack the grid capacity, infrastructure, or economic case to scale up in time. According to the European Sea Ports Organisation, cost, complexity, and grid readiness are among the key barriers to expanding OPS. For some seaports, particularly those near major cities, the power capacity simply isn’t available – and may not be for another decade.

If Europe is to meet its decarbonization targets, it must look beyond the grid. That means embracing a hybrid energy model where modular, scalable technologies can fill the gaps and complement traditional OPS – not compete with it. At e1 Marine, we believe methanol-to-hydrogen reformers in combination with fuel cell technology represent one such solution, offering ports a clean, compliant, and flexible way to power berthed vessels and port operations without relying on grid infrastructure.

Months – not years

Hydrogen is widely recognized as a cornerstone of the maritime sector’s zero-emissions future, but distributing and storing it in its pure form remains costly and logistically complex. By contrast, methanol is already available in over 125 seaports. For example, Rotterdam is not only the largest dry bulk port in Europe but also the largest methanol

hub in Northwestern Europe. Methanol serves as a stable, safe, and energy-dense hydrogen carrier, reformable into fuel cellgrade hydrogen on-site and on demand.

e1 Marine’s modular systems use methanol and water to generate hydrogen, which powers proton exchange membrane fuel cells, producing clean electricity. This process reduces harmful emissions like nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and carbon dioxide by over 99%, and greenhouse gas emissions by up to 85% when using green methanol.

One can deploy these containerized systems at ports in months – not years – and they don’t require expensive grid connections or multi-million-dollar infrastructure investments. This makes them a valuable option for ports facing grid constraints or seasonal energy demand fluctuations, where traditional OPS may be technically unfeasible or financially unsound.

Running up a bill

Scaling OPS in Europe will take time – and massive investment. According to the Financial Times, the EU faces a €584 billion infrastructure bill to modernize its grids, with some projects taking five to 15 years to complete. OPS installation alone can cost between €200,000 and €6.0 million per berth (excluding grid upgrades).

Meanwhile, fuel and emissions regulations aren’t waiting. The International Maritime Organization’s new carbon levy (effective 2027) and the EU’s Emissions Trading System are stepping up the cost

of carbon-intensive fuels. Ports and shipowners alike need viable alternatives now, especially for short-sea operators, tug fleets, and workboats that lack the scale to justify full-scale OPS infrastructure. While not yet designed to directly power large container or passenger vessels over 5,000 GT, e1 Marine’s methanol-to-hydrogen reformers can ease the pressure on constrained local grids today. By supporting port-side operations and smaller vessels, these systems reduce total grid demand – indirectly supporting compliance with FuelEU Maritime by allowing grid capacity to be prioritized where it’s needed most.

Matching power to demand – use cases in action

Unlike fixed OPS infrastructure, which can face challenges around cost-effectiveness, scalability, or low utilization at certain berths, modular hydrogen systems offer a more adaptable approach. For example, containerized reformers can be deployed on shore and configured to meet the specific demands of each port, supporting cold ironing for smaller vessels such as tugs, ferries, and feeder ships; charging hybrid cranes, reefers, and electric workboats; and supplying auxiliary or back-up power during outages. They can also stabilize fluctuating terminal loads by powering mobile micro-grids in areas with variable or seasonal demand. Beyond shore-side use, these compact systems can be installed directly on board vessels under 2,000 GT, providing a reliable

power source for hybrid propulsion. Paired with battery systems, they enable extended operational range compared to purely electric solutions – particularly useful for shortsea shipping and inland or coastal operations. Hydrogen One, a methanol-fueled towboat under development by e1 Marine and Maritime Partners, is a prime example of this application in action.

The flexibility to scale output and deploy units where they’re needed most enables port authorities and operators to build a more resilient and efficient energy ecosystem. Demonstrating this capability is our recent collaboration with STAX Engineering in California. There, our M2PWR methanol-to-hydrogen system will power emission-capture barges, demonstrating how containerized hydrogen generation can support at-berth decarbonization – without the added strain on the local grid.

A powerful proposition

Demand for port operations doesn’t stop when the grid fails. Unfortunately, compromised power is becoming an increasingly common occurrence. Urban congestion, weather events, and rising electricity demand all threaten the reliability of port power. In areas like the Gulf Coast of the U.S., hurricanes regularly disrupt shore-based supply. In parts of Europe, cities prioritize power access for residents, leaving ports with intermittent or capped energy availability.

Grid-independent systems like e1 Marine’s provide a vital safety net. They can deliver green energy consistently and on demand, regardless of external conditions, supporting energy security and operational continuity. For ports seeking to electrify operations without compromising reliability, that’s a powerful proposition.

Integration, not competition

It is tempting to think in binaries – grid versus off-grid, OPS versus hydrogen. But the genuine opportunity lies in integration. No single solution will decarbonize Europe’s port infrastructure. Instead, it will take a coordinated web of complementary technologies: renewables, battery storage, grid-tied OPS, and containerized generation units working together to deliver reliable, sustainable power.

That’s why regulatory and certification frameworks must continue to support flexible deployment. FuelEU Maritime’s inclusion of “equivalent zero-emission technologies” is a step in the right direction, but future OPS policies must remain technology-neutral and application-sensitive.

Otherwise, we risk sidelining viable innovations that could bring us closer to our climate goals simply because they don’t plug into the wall.

Facing

the hard truths – with collective action

Ports in Europe are more than logistics hubs – they’re key enablers of the continent’s climate strategy. But realizing their decarbonization potential means facing the hard truths – the grid won’t be ready everywhere, funding won’t flow fast enough, and the cost of inaction is growing.

By diversifying our approach to shore power, we can move faster, reduce emissions sooner, and protect the health of coastal communities. e1 Marine’s methanol-to-hydrogen reforming technology is one piece of that puzzle – not a silver bullet, but a proven, scalable tool that can support the transition where it’s needed most.

Collaboration – not competition – will define the next phase of maritime decarbonization. Ports that embrace a flexible, technology-inclusive strategy today will be the ones powering the green corridors of tomorrow. ‚

e1marine provides clean energy solutions for the maritime sector, specialising in advanced methanol-to-hydrogen generation systems designed to reduce emissions and improve efficiency in maritime operations. Our technology enables ports and operators to produce fuelcell-grade hydrogen on board or on shore, and on demand – efficiently, safely, and wherever it’s needed. Go to e1marine.com to learn more.

Photos: e1 Marine

How machine learning can drive smarter decisions in today’s shipping markets

Coming out of the dark

by Will Fray, Director, Maritime Strategies International (MSI)

From trade wars and military conflicts to pandemics and natural disasters, not to mention growing environmental regulations and government interventions, disruptions to supply chains and global shipping markets have had an enormous impact on freight costs and asset values in the last decade. Disruptions have primarily impacted the efficiency of the global fleet through factors such as distances, speed, port days, maintenance schedules, and ballast patterns. These efficiency factors are central to MSI’s shipping and offshore market models, even if obtaining reliable measurements has sometimes been challenging.

Automated identification system (AIS) data holds huge potential to better understand ship trading efficiencies and has been a key data source for MSI’s analysis for over a decade. The main focus of recent AIS-based analytical tool proliferation has been commodity trading, but MSI has focused on improving its understanding of vessel behaviour. By joining the dots in global trade, it is possible to understand how ships perform and how owners deploy them.

Casting light

Starting with the most comprehensive coverage available of satellite, terrestrial, and onboard AIS data, MSI’s vessel activity augmentation algorithm fills in the coverage gaps – dark events – using historical trading patterns of similar ships to estimate vessel positions, speeds, and activities. Each month, MSI’s algorithm identifies and fills over two million dark events.

As a result, MSI maintains a set of continuous hourly ship activity data for over 90,000 commercial marine and offshore vessels, covering not just locations, speeds, and headings but also estimated draughts, cargo loaded, fuel consumption, and emissions (the latter closely aligned with the ‘bottom up’ approach adopted by the International Maritime Organization’s, IMO, Greenhouse Gas Studies). We combine this with our set of over 20,000 tightly defined berthing and shipyard polygons (which we compile and maintain using

machine learning techniques to discover berths) to identify and define port activity.

MSI’s port call algorithm goes a step further than flagging a port visit and counting the days spent within its limits – port call behaviour is an aggregation of associated stoppages, anchoring, manoeuvring, and berthing, even if some of this activity takes place remotely from the terminal itself.

In addition, combining ship and port activity data populates our voyage database, providing valuable insights into the trading behaviour, efficiencies, fuel consumption, and emissions estimates at both a vessel and a fleet/owner/portfolio level.

Collating data sources

For the first time, MSI is now bringing this augmented AIS data set to market through our new map-based online platform: MSI SEASCAPE. Also integrated into the platform are fair market values (FMV) driven by our long-trusted model Forecast Marine eValuator and discounted cash flow (DCF) value assessments guided by MSI’s expert forecasts for ship earnings, operating costs, and future values using our HORIZON market forecasting model.

At launch, the platform contains just over 30,000 vessels encompassing dry cargo (dry bulk, container ships, multi-purpose, car carriers) and wet cargo (oil & chemical tankers, LNG, LPG). Insights include vessel and fleet deployment patterns and trading efficiencies, emissions and alignment/compliance with Carbon Intensity Indicator

(CII)/Poseidon Principles, EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime exposure (accounting for both tank-to-wake and well-to-wake emissions profiles), sanctions monitoring, and benchmarking tools to compare vessel operational performance to cohort fleets.

Creating insights – fleet activity

Whilst there is a wide range of applications for MSI’s proprietary ship activity data set, MSI SEASCAPE aligns with two key purposes. First, benchmarking the activity of existing fleets and vessels. Second, due diligence for acquisition, lending or chartering activities. MSI SEASCAPE can also extract insights for particular sections of the fleet, or groups of vessels by age, size, and other characteristics.

For instance, whilst there are strong similarities between the behaviour of the Supramax and Ultramax dry bulk fleets (such as geographical deployment, speeds, ballast ratios), there are some key differences, like anchorage; over the past 12 months, Supramax vessels have on average spent 23% of their time at anchor compared with 17% for Ultramax. This means that the latter have been far more productive, spending 53% of their time at sea vs 46% for Supramax, travelling much further distances (on average 13% further). It is no surprise that the Ultramax fleet has been more efficient from an emissions intensity perspective; on average, the CII scores for the Ultramax fleet have been 8.9% below the CII reference line (representing Middle C), whereas the average

CII scores for the Supramax have been only 2.4% below the CII reference line.

Creating insights – fuel and emissions

MSI SEASCAPE’s fuel consumption and emissions estimates offer a robust foundation for assessing the financial implications of upcoming IMO regulations at both vessel and fleet levels.

By extending SEASCAPE’s 2024 annual fuel consumption estimates through to 2035 and applying MSI’s bunker price forecasts, we can project future fuel costs for over 30,000 conventionally fuelled vessels in the platform – alongside expected IMO penalties.

While not exhaustive, this analysis provides a clear indication of scale: by 2035, IMO penalties could represent an 80% premium on top of fleet bunker costs –equating to nearly $100 billion annually for the ships included.

Viewed differently, this also signals a major opportunity for the marine fuel market. Redirecting the projected $100 billion per year toward drop-in biofuels and low-carbon alternatives could create a powerful incentive for innovation and investment in sustainable shipping.

Creating insights – fleet valuation

MSI analysis reveals that, compared to their discounted cash-flow values, vessels in all shipping sectors possess a higher fair market value, indicating most assets are overvalued relative to projected future earnings and values.

Using the fleet and portfolio selection tools in its new MSI SEASCAPE platform, it is possible to extract and aggregate MSI’s assessment of asset values and investment potential. A dedicated tool calculates fair market value, while MSI’s forecasts, driven by its own analysis through the HORIZON forecasting model, determine the DCF value. Comparing the two valuations reveals MSI’s assessment of real value; a relatively higher DCF assessment, for instance, flags a buy signal.

In the current market of historically elevated asset values, however, the opposite is

more likely to be true. The data currently presented on MSI SEASCAPE certainly shows this. The chart illustrates the overall gap between current fleet-level FMV valuations and DCF values as of May 2025, where both metrics represent the combined valuations of the just over 30,000 vessels within each sector on the platform.

All sectors have higher FMV in relation to their DCF, which suggests that vessels are overvalued when compared with MSI’s expectations for future earnings and values. The divergence between FMV and DCF is largest among the dry bulk fleet, with vessel fair market valuations being over 25% higher than MSI’s DCF value on average. This divergence suggests that market sentiment and forward-looking expectations are more positive for this sector than for others, when compared with the MSI Base Case. ‚

From market analysis to investment decision support, Maritime Strategies International (MSI) offers high-level, independent market forecasting, as well as business advisory services. For over 35 years, MSI has developed integrated relationships with a diverse global client base, including financial institutions, ship owners, shipyards, brokers, investors, insurers, classification societies, regulators and accountants, along with equipment and service providers. Head to msiltd.com to learn more.

Fig. 1. Detailed port call activity by component

Fig. 2. Using machine learning to estimate AIS dark events

Novel storage solution

promises to position hydrogen as a safe & viable marine fuel

From hype to reality

by Ashish Anilan, Sustainability Leader, Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, and Dr Jehan Kanga, Founder & CEO, Rux Energy

Harnessing the potential of hydrogen is key to accelerating shipping’s energy transition and achieving a low-carbon future in the maritime sector. A front-runner among cleaner energy sources, hydrogen fuel promises to make a significant impact on greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction. It stands as a critical solution in helping the maritime industry meet the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) April 2025 updates to net-zero targets “by or around” mid-century, including a lower tier – direct IMO compliance target – reduction rate of 43% by 2035.

Green hydrogen, which is produced via electrolysis using renewably sourced electricity, offers a kindling prospect for applications in the shipping industry, representing a zero/near-zero carbon option from a well-to-wake perspective, as well as a solution that supports and interoperates with battery storage technologies and renewable deployments.

Pioneering companies, specialist research groups, collaborative R&D projects, and innovative technology developments, alongside new regulations, are driving the transition to hydrogen as a marine bunker. Newly developed initiatives are creating a pathway to increase hydrogen’s availability as an economically workable and scalable fuel source, which can serve as a cost-competitive and reliable alternative to marine diesel for the shipping industry.

No-regrets?

The application of hydrogen technology within the maritime sector is developing at pace. Hydrogen-powered ferries and workboats in Europe and the US are already in operation, the commercial availability of hydrogen fuel cells for maritime applications is expanding, and ship designers and operators are successfully using hybrid systems as an interim solution, all of which are generating further investment. Meanwhile, ports are implementing plans to accommodate future hydrogen demand on their side, with infrastructure adapting with the development of new hydrogen refuelling stations. It is also clear that technological advancements are catching up, a fact that is demonstrated by a new solution by Rux Energy to enhance hydrogen storage and distribution for the maritime sector.

Safety measures and storage solutions have been key challenges to hydrogen adoption in the shipping industry. Although hydrogen is already being used in trains and trucks, these issues have delayed the transition in the maritime sector regarding the development of affordable, high-density, efficient, and safe storage.

Alongside the need for specialist equipment and traditionally larger storage tanks because of its low-energy density, many specific conditions must be met to use and store hydrogen at a useful density, such as very high pressures of above 350 atmospheres or extremely low temperatures of -253 centigrade. This has previously necessitated the use of expensive carbon fibre tanks and has resulted in high energy penalties due to 9-15% losses for compressed hydrogen and 40%-50% losses for liquid hydrogen (LH 2), meaning lower end-to-end efficiencies.

Additional safety hazards – stemming from the use of ultra-high pressure gas and boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion (BLEVE) risks with LH2 – have had an exponential impact on costings, that rise as projects scale up, which represents a pertinent issue that, according to Rux Energy, prevents the use of hydrogen as a ‘no-regrets’ fuel when compared to the costs of using diesel.

The energy requirements and high costs of traditional methods of hydrogen storage have been pushing hard-to-abate end users to continue using fossil fuels or to explore synthetic e-fuels (like methanol, ammonia, or e-kerosene), disincentivising the uptake of hydrogen in maritime applications.

Filling the void

As a leading classification society, BV supports the development of innovative new solutions by ensuring they meet the

requisite safety and operational standards that enable their deployment. BV has extensive expertise in hydrogen technology, having developed classification rules for hydrogen-fuelled ships, as well as a certification scheme dedicated to renewable hydrogen, and an additional class notation, HYDROGENFUEL-PREPARED, for ships designed to store and use hydrogen.

BV’s recent joint development project (JDP) agreement with Rux Energy, Certification of Cryogenic Pressure Vessels for Hydrogen Storage and Transport, is a continuation of work in this area, addressing critical safety and hazard challenges related to hydrogen storage and transport, with the potential to reshape global practices in the sector through the sharing of new findings, particularly with Rux Energy’s first-adopter partners and clients in the marine and offshore industries.

Representing the culmination of years of work, Rux Energy’s breakthrough solution incorporates its proprietary nanoporous advanced physisorption materials, which fill the whole void of a tank and act like a sponge for hydrogen molecules. This enables the hydrogen to be safely stored at more moderate temperatures and 10-25x lower pressures, coupled with significant improvements in end-to-end energy efficiencies.

This innovation aims to significantly reduce hydrogen supply chain costs by improving storage efficiency at production sites, cutting bulk transport and distribution costs, and eliminating boil-off losses and BLEVE risks. The radical improvements in safety, including the reduction of hydrogen volumes in rapid release in the unlikely event of a catastrophic tank failure, are anticipated to impact regulatory approvals, not to mention insurance and operating costs.

In addition to progressing the validation and verification of the major safety enhancements provided by Rux Energy’s nanoporous materials, the project will also focus on meeting the certification requirements for large-scale hydrogen storage systems for bulk transport, distribution, and use by the road, rail, marine and offshore sectors.

The JDP also aims to support agile refuelling, bunkering, and shore-side power operations in intermodal and port hubs, and to stimulate local supply chain development in Singapore, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Europe. Concurrently, the project aligns to major global cooperation agreements between these four regions, including the Singapore-Australia

Green Economy Agreement 2023, the UK-Australia Renewable Hydrogen

Innovation Partnership (2023), the Australia-EU Green Hydrogen Dialogue (2024), and outcomes of the First UK-EU summit on cross-border hydrogen trade (2025), with key outcomes directly responding to the above governmental priorities.

Rux Energy is targeting construction power and maritime applications as global first-mover industries take the lead on the adoption of hydrogen, illustrated by the company’s recently announced MoU with the largest operator of UK-flagged vessels, Serco UK, eventually aiming to bring its certified solutions to a wide range of hardto-abate applications across land and sea.

Transformation through partnership

Achieving ambitious net-zero goals in shipping will only be possible through a dedicated focus on targeted technology deployment combined with an unprecedented level of cross-sector collaboration. Shipping’s ‘green alliance’ collectively needs to implement fresh yet pragmatic approaches, change outdated processes, and establish new partnerships that cover entire supply chains by drawing from expertise beyond the maritime sector.

BV has established its Future Shipping Team for this precise purpose, enabling research and expertise sharing among the BV Group’s 80,000 employees across the maritime sector – including the CO2 value chain, alternative fuels, wind-assisted propulsion, and nuclear energy.

Hydrogen, as part of this equation, is a booming market, with estimates from the European Commission suggesting that “decarbonised hydrogen could meet 24% of global energy demand by 2050.” BV’s JDP with Rux Energy is an example of a partnership that has the potential to be transformative for hydrogen bulk storage and distribution, supporting the decarbonisation of heavy land transport and maritime sectors, whilst generating a significant leap forward in safety and efficiency. ‚

Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore reviews the design, construction, and operations of ships and offshore assets, and verifies them against regulations to help build a safer, more sustainable, and more digitalised industry. We are pioneers in safety and performance – developing rules and guidelines to support maritime progress. We bring our clients local knowledge with a global reach to be by their side through any challenge. Check marine-offshore.bureauveritas.com to learn more.

Rux Energy is developing a low-cost, safe and efficient hydrogen storage solution that will be a game changer for implementing low-carbon emission technologies, with the ambitious goal of becoming the global category leader in hydrogen storage and supply distribution. Our advanced nanoporous materials and bulk hydrogen storage systems make green hydrogen cost-competitive with diesel. Visit ruxenergy.com to discover more.

Photo: Rux Energy

Photo: Serco

Bridging the gap between terminals and shippers

Lost in transhipment

by Ewa Kochańska

In today’s ever-changing global supply chains, seamless communication between terminals and shippers is more critical than ever – yet it remains one of the industry’s biggest challenges. The Great Divide: Closing the Communication Chasm Between Terminals and Shippers study, commissioned by Kaleris, explores this continued division, shedding light on the operational inefficiencies, delays, and frustrations that arise when the supply chain is misaligned. Based on its own survey and industry-wide figures, the report outlines the causes of the communication gap, besides providing constructive solutions towards collaboration, transparency, and a common understanding of mutual needs within the logistics ecosystem.

Incidents like Hurricane Katrina, the Suez Canal blockage, and COVID19 have shown just how vulnerable logistics networks can be. Supply chain disruptions, brought on by events ranging from natural disasters to labour disputes and other global crises, cost organisations around $184 million annually. The report discusses one critical factor affecting these situations, n amely the lack of cargo visibility affecting the ability of stakeholders to monitor their shipments across various checkpoints.

Before chaos erupts

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the fact that supply chain visibility – estimating the location and arrival times of cargo – falls short due to limited ability to share the information across stakeholders. Delays were usually addressed after the fact, and the flow of data left a lot to be desired. As the coronavirus pandemic unfolded, it became clear how fragile global logistics actually are. Everything from lockdowns through panic buying to labour shortages triggered a breakdown of order. The unfolding crises highlighted the need for more in-depth and real-time

systems with the capability of improving overall coordination. Today, as visibility is no longer just desirable but expected, the supply chain stakeholders want instant access to reliable data to anticipate issues and minimise disruptions before chaos erupts.

According to the study, achieving this level of transparency stands on three key pillars: high-quality data, clear communication, and strong collaboration. Accurate data collection across various operational areas – such as vessel berthing, yard logistics, rail, and gate flow –ensures better decision-making. Next, the data must be shared in a timely and trustworthy manner using secure channels, across parties that sometimes do not share contracts or direct relationships. Building powerful cooperation between such disconnected entities demands high-tech tools that, thanks to modern satellite communication networks, can enhance chain visibility and information exchange, facilitating consistent tracking from origin to destination.

The report found that at the moment many systems remain incompatible with each other, leaving clusters of valuable

information unutilised. To meet expectations from key stakeholders like shippers, freight forwarders, and terminal operators, the industry must create fully integrated and interoperable platforms that support real-time visibility and timely operations across the entire supply chain.

Mismatched perceptions

The report used a survey to help analyse the current situation and narrow down key issues within the supply chain. The results highlight a growing disconnect between terminal operators and shippers, revealing differences between perception and reality in cargo visibility.

The research reveals that terminal operators most commonly share loading and unloading schedules, as well as real-time cargo locations; they mostly rely on electronic data interchange (EDI) and terminal operating systems (TOS) to manage and share that information. However, while terminals tend to make better use of their execution technologies – most using 60–75% of their functionality – only 36% of terminal customers (shippers, beneficial cargo owners, freight forwarders) report similar utilisation of those.

Further, the survey reveals that while terminal operators generally believe they are delivering strong performance, many shippers disagree. Some 57% of terminal operators rate their visibility information as good or very good, but only 43% of shippers call the visibility “adequate,” and nearly 30% report poor or very poor experiences.

Some of the bigger problems concerning cargo movement are the lack of automated alerts on key shipment events (reported by 61% of shippers) and discrepancies between system data and actual shipment status (experienced by 82% of them). For shippers, poor visibility translates into delayed handling and inability to make informed decisions, both of which can disrupt supply chains. On the terminal side, the consequences are also significant, with 42% acknowledging business losses because of poor visibility.

When asked what the main barriers to visibility are, the terminal operators named lack of data integration across systems and, interestingly, resistance to change. On the other hand, the root of the problem for shippers and other terminal customers is data privacy or security concerns.

Regional differences also emerged in the findings. Terminals in Europe (number one) and North America (number two) offer good visibility according to shippers, while those in Africa and

illustrates the need for more advanced technology and global partnerships to improve the situation. In one regard, though, there is agreement: both parties, the terminal operators and shippers, accept that ownership of data is shared.

Data that hides in plain sight

There is some level of effort within the industry to enhance transparency, particularly regarding investments in digital solutions. As the report shows, however, many systems do not work well with each other. Data silos result from this disintegration within organisations, leading to decisions based on incomplete information. One key issue is that different technologies use their own data configurations and standards, making seamless integration nearly impossible. Further complicating matters, vendors are sometimes reluctant to share data openly. Consequently, valuable information is often underutilised or remains inaccessible within individual systems, preventing those who need it from accessing it.

Systems that are not designed to connect with one another worsen the problem. For example, TOS and port community systems (PCS) perform well enough within their intended environments, but their inability to work with other platforms means that the visibility they provide does

not extend across the supply chain. For instance, a terminal might have detailed information on cargo handling, but without integration with shippers’ logistics platforms, that insight remains in the terminal. Even advanced tools like PCS cannot give a full picture unless they are properly connected with other platforms, such as maritime/trade single window systems.

Another major concern is that these technologies are often not used to their full potential. Many terminal operators and shippers are unfamiliar with all the features of their systems, and a lack of proper training intensifies this problem. In many cases, employees are forced to rely on inefficient manual processes or workarounds. This leads to mistakes and duplicated efforts and creates digital friction, as people become frustrated and disengaged with the technology. Staff turnover is also a worry, as experienced employees who leave take their knowledge with them, creating gaps that slow down operations and reduce efficiency.

In addition, manual processes are still surprisingly common in the communication between terminals and other stakeholders. Information is frequently shared via outdated means, such as emails or phone calls, which hampers coordination and increases the likelihood of human errors, including duplicated data and security risks.

South America fall short. This divide

Photo: Canva

The research further shows that within the supply chain, various stakeholders have different goals. For instance, terminals focus on serving the shipping lines that pay them, while shippers are preoccupied with cargo monitoring in the most holistic way possible. This divergence creates frameworks that support one group’s objectives but lack value for others. As a result, information silos persist, and technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and the internet of things (IoT) cannot be fully leveraged due to inconsistent or incomplete data. Misaligned business processes and priorities make integration even more difficult and slow down innovation across the supply chain.

Lastly, several external factors further contribute to the visibility gap. As the survey found, North America and Europe generally offer better visibility than regions like Africa and South America, which is also where digital capabilities vary widely. Also, regulatory requirements, political stability, and economic resources shape the advancement of supply chain technology in different regions. For example, ports in countries like the UK and Japan have widely adopted PCS systems, while others may still face challenges with outdated infrastructure. Disagreements over data ownership, rights and privacy concerns reduce trust and discourage open data sharing – key ingredients for achieving true visibility across the logistics ecosystem.

Escaping the logistics black hole

Certainly, the report highlights that the success of terminal operations depends on resolving this information gap – the so-called ‘black hole’ – between terminals and shippers. Real-time connectivity plays a key role in achieving this by ensuring that every stakeholder along the supply chain has immediate access to live, actionable data. This kind of access facilitates real-time changes to logistics strategy in the case of unexpected disruptions caused by congestion or equipment failure. Further enhancing responsiveness are automated alerts that notify stakeholders of shifts like unloading delays or sub-optimal temperatures in perishables, allowing proactive measures to be taken to safeguard schedules and the value of the cargo.

Another critical factor the research found is the availability of standardised and trustworthy data. To achieve seamless interoperability across systems and

stakeholders, terminals must invest in rigorous data validation and standardisation processes. Technologies like EDI and application programming interfaces enable data sharing. By clarifying who owns the data and who can access it, terminal operators feel more confident, paving the way for broader involvement in data-driven networks. A thoughtful data strategy – treating data as an ongoing asset rather than a one-time resource – adds to long-term visibility and supports innovation.

Additionally, integrated technology solutions are essential for translating visibility into execution. The research shows that tools used in isolation serve a limited purpose only, but in a combined platform, such as transportation management systems or PCS, they provide a comprehensive operational overview. Mandates like the International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s Maritime Single Window promote global standardisation and integration within the supply chain, simplifying port calls and improving transparency. Connecting these systems to data-as-a-service platforms further expands real-time visibility and improves coordination across logistics points, making scaling more manageable and reliable.

Moreover, despite the availability of powerful tools, many stakeholders underutilise existing technology, limiting its benefits. Maximising the potential of these tools requires placing users at the centre of digital adoption. This means providing tailored training that meets the actual operational needs of employees and partners rather than generic instructional programmes. Also, choosing technology vendors that commit to regular updates makes sure that all stakeholders continue to derive value from innovation. The technology strategies must always find a perfect middle ground between fully benefiting from available resources and anticipating changes down the line.

The report also emphasises that unified execution platforms should serve as a type of central nervous system for the modern supply chain, integrating inputs from multiple systems into a single, cohesive platform. These platforms offer a comprehensive end-to-end view of cargo movement and operational events, enabling all parties – from terminals to shippers – to make informed, proactive decisions.

Finally, incorporating AI and transportation management systems (TMS) comprehensively could significantly reduce the eponymous ‘great divide’ also between marine terminals and trucking providers.

Greater adoption of TMS among both large and small trucking companies facilitates better integration with terminal systems. This digital alignment enables smoother coordination of container movements, faster turnaround times, and more accurate, real-time information sharing – all of which are critical for building efficient, customer-centric logistics networks.

More than just tech

The research reveals a ‘great divide’ between what terminal operators believe they are delivering in terms of supply chain visibility and what shippers feel they are receiving. While a vast majority of terminal operators consider their visibility offerings to be adequate or better, only a quarter of shippers share that view. This gap is further complicated because both parties often underutilise their current execution systems, with many reporting that they are only tapping into about 70% of their available capabilities. These inefficiencies are not without consequences, as respondents lose business.

A major reason behind the communication gap in supply chain management is the lack of system interoperability because advanced technologies like visibility platforms and analytics often fail to integrate seamlessly. This disconnect allows vital information to get lost, undermining the potential benefits of innovative technologies. To change the situation, the report recommends a more strategic, people-focused process. Management teams should evaluate their current technologies to ensure they align with their broader data and visibility goals. Cost-effective solutions such as IoT sensors and real-time tracking can deliver immediate improvements, but reaching their full potential requires technical expertise as well as active employee engagement. Investing in training and encouraging staff to fully utilise these tools are crucial steps toward improving return on investment and minimising digital friction.

Ultimately, the report stresses that success depends on more than just technology – it requires the ‘three Cs’ of collaboration, coordination, and change management. These are essential for building trust, fostering a culture of technology adoption, and guiding teams through transitions. Leadership must clearly communicate the vision and provide steady guidance to avoid overwhelming employees. By combining the right tools, interoperability, and human engagement, companies can close the visibility gap and strengthen the supply chain ecosystem. ‚

Interview with Shinichi Kakiyama, President, NX Europe

Added cost value

by Przemysław Myszka

In Munich, during the recent transport logistics exhibition, we had the pleasure of getting to know Shinichi Kakiyama, the European head of the Japanese NX Group. We talked about the company’s performance and what impacts it, its development plans, and NX’s take on greening the logistics business.

‚ How have NX Europe and the entire Group been performing lately?

Compared to 2023, turnover increased by 15% last year, among others, thanks to integrating cargo-partner, a Vienna-based full-range info-logistics provider, and the recovery of our digital business. That said, profits went down by 18% year-on-year for several reasons. Global freight rates decreased while costs rose. COVID-19 still impacted our bottom line, especially in the Japanese market.

The first quarter of 2025 closed according to our expectations. The end-year outlook is, however, overshadowed by the unpredictable impact of Trump tariffs (and certainly Europe cannot count on getting off

the tiger’s back completely unharmed). Then again, air freight from Asia to the US has been gaining traction in spite of the whole back-and-forth tariff hurling. There is also the ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine. Here, NX Europe is ready to help the country rebuild once the guns fall silent.

‚ What is your primary focus now?

NX Europe is concentrating on a few key growth-driving industries, most notably on healthcare and semiconductors, as these aren’t so easily influenced by global turmoils. Especially in the latter area, we have the ambition to be the world’s top logistics company. Concerning the former, NX’s focus lies on pharmaceuticals and medical devices. In the autumn of 2024, Simon Hegele from Karlsruhe became part of the NX Group. As such, we grew with a company that has over 50 locations worldwide and a turnover that rose from €200 to €300 million in five years, including in healthcare and pharma. Additionally, this June, we opened a new facility in Brussels that’s specifically designed to handle temperaturedemanding goods. NX is keen to grow further, both organically and through welcoming others to the Group.

‚ What is on NX’s green agenda?

The role of logistics is to offer services that reduce the footprint of our clients. This way we can protect the environment while securing a bright future for the generations that will come after us. Whether customers will pay extra for a service that cuts CO2 emissions – that really depends on the industry. The pharmaceutical sector, for instance, doesn’t raise any objections. For other industries, however, it might take more time to see it as added value – not only added cost. Regarding NX itself, we’re already running a fleet of electric vehicles powered by renewables (in the financial year of 2023, our photovoltaic systems produced 6.89 million kilowatt hours). Overall, the NX Group ecofriendly park counts almost 13,000 vehicles. In Venice, we’re operating hydrogen delivery motorboats. In Japan, we’ve introduced fuel cell light trucks for urban deliveries. All of our facilities are already furnished with LED lighting. In 2023, NX Group’s scope 1 & 2 emissions were lower by over 12% vs 2019. We also recycle (with Chemical Recycle Japan planning to use plastics from logistics to produce renewable chemicals, as well as fuel oil in the future) and reduce material usage (e.g., by better package design). ‚

Photo: NX Europe

Navigating the modern challenges facing project cargo shipping

Out-of-gauge times

by Robert Blades, Global Commercial Sales Manager, Peters & May

Overcoming complex logistical challenges has been part and parcel of managing the transportation of commercial cargo for decades. Experience, expertise, and the ability to pivot when managing the movement of heavy out-of-gauge cargo are even more critical in today’s uncertain and turbulent geopolitical and economic environment.

Whether handling standard freight or oversized, heavy, and out-of-gauge cargo, achieving a successful and seamless operation to efficiently move, load, and offload high-value assets in diverse global ports requires the right approach and systems.

Experienced decision-making capabilities and foresight are required every step of the way to mitigate risk and avoid hidden costs, from securing vessel space, scheduling and route planning, to considering options around the handling process, technical equipment, lifting methods, specialist workforce, port infrastructure, insurance, and more.

Transportation involving multi-purpose, heavy-lift, specialised cargo vessels for shipment of complex and challenging project cargo, such as pontoons, wind farm components and commercial vessels like tugboats or patrol boats, has always required additional specialist knowledge.

Today, amid fast-paced global events, triggered by geopolitical developments, this expertise is more critical than ever. Cargo owners and organisations are adjusting to the fact that marine transport options and operations are far less predictable than merely five years ago – with specific ramifications for the already complicated proposition of moving specialist project cargo by sea.

With a more uncertain and volatile global operating environment for shipping companies amid politicised trade conflicts, territorial disputes, and sanctions disrupting shipping routes and cargo flows, the safety of delivery depends on creating optionality, managing expectations, and having the ability to adapt to the unexpected.

Unpredictable geopolitics & global trade affecting MPVs

The shifting geopolitical and economic landscape, alongside changes in market

dynamics, presents the marine transport sector with unique challenges – with multi-purpose vessels (MPVs) particularly affected. MPVs operate within the spot charter market, with the capabilities to handle considerably more complex cargo and heavier boats than container lines.

At Peters & May’s Commercial Marine Transport division, we usually use heavylift geared ships with their own cranes, as well as gearless and semisubmersible vessels, and combidock ships when required. Cranes can reach as high as 2x 1,500 tonnes, with the heaviest boat we have lifted weighing 875,000 kilograms

With an increased demand for MPVs compared to 2019-20, there is already tight availability in some regions – a situation which has been exacerbated by the avoidance of the Suez Canal and vessels having to transit around the Cape of Good Hope (COGH), rather than utilise the more efficient Asia-to-Mediterranean or Northern Europe route through the Red Sea. The Russian war of aggression, the ongoing uncertainty about escalations in the Middle East, and the potential for Houthi attacks on ships will also continue to adversely affect available tonnage and market stability.

As a 25-day transit now takes 45 to 50 days due to transit via COGH, with substantial additional fuel and charter costs, there is less spot tonnage in the market than previously, with new supply/demand dynamics, which means that planning for MPVs has become more complex in certain regions. For example, in the currently in-demand Asian region, where large wind energy and oil & gas projects are consuming a lot of the tonnage in the market, finding space can be challenging. Rates are high and typically need a minimum of one to two months’ lead time to secure space. Meanwhile, Europe and the US are in more of a decline, and we

are seeing plenty of opportunities from these regions, especially back to Asia.

The geopolitical issues and unpredictability of global trade routes now need to be considered along with the array of logistical and technical considerations when overseeing the transportation of high-value marine assets on MPVs – a challenge that can only be mastered by implementing lessons learned from decades of experience in managing successful shipments.

Mitigated risks + managed expectations = right to sail

Agility, foresight, and precise coordination are essential when transporting project cargo. With specialist loadmasters and technical expertise in lifting and cradling equipment, alongside experience in identifying potential problems and avoiding hidden costs (such as delays, insurance hikes, and mis-cradled cargo), it is possible to mitigate risk and manage expectations.

Among our recent projects was the successful loading and shipment of the high-speed catamaran Red Jet 4 from Southampton in the UK to South Korea on AAL Kobe. As an example of rapid rerouting because of rising geopolitical risks, the shipowner ruled out the vessel’s planned passage through the Red Sea following deteriorating conditions, including renewed Houthi rebel attacks on commercial vessels. The team quickly adapted the voyage plan, securing permits, port arrangements, and vessel support to accommodate the new route back through the Suez Canal and around COGH, while considering weather variations, fuel resupply, crew scheduling, and increased transit risks over the longer distance.

The challenge for another project – the shipping of two new 22-metre-long tugboats from Vietnam to the French Port of Saint-Malo – centred around the bespoke

architectural design of the vessels, which included specialised lifting lugs integrated directly into the structure. The Peters & May logistics team worked with Fairmaster, fitted with two 1,500-tonne cranes (combinable for 3,000t lifts). The lifting lugs allowed the vessels to be hoisted with precision, using a crane system that safely distributed the weight and reduced any potential risk to the tugs during the handling process.

For some projects, the challenge focuses on meeting a customer's budget and dates, which was the case for a standard shipment of two workboat patrol units that motored from the Baltic to Bremenhaven and were then shipped to the Persian Gulf. Peters & May supplied the shipping option from water to water, lashing, securing and

dunnage, in addition to surveyor report, cargo insurance, loadmaster attendance, technical support and much more – demonstrating our end-to-end service. This operation is also an example highlighting that we can offer out-of-gauge options on container lines when it is the right solution. We regularly see how our expertise and experience when planning operations results in the avoidance of hidden costs, but the most prevalent issue in our experience is a discrepancy between the supplied

gross registered tonnage and displacement weight of the cargo. A world-class technical team can quickly spot any errors and inconsistencies, which, if unnoticed, could cause a logistical and financial disaster. Incorrect weight advice from a shipper could lead to selection of the wrong vessel type, leaving cranes unable to lift the cargo.

Another important reason for securing the support of a quality technical team is that, with an appetite for risk so low, insurance providers are ensuring project shipments are fully up to the latest safety requirements. In our own shipments, we are seeing a growing number of requirements for surveyor signoffs, particularly marine warranty surveyors, who will review all technical documentation and report back to the insurers and give a ‘right to sail’ document.

A century and a half of experience

For cargo owners focusing primarily on the safe delivery of their goods in time and on budget, there are several advantages in dealing with specialists. A consultative partner with experience in shipping heavy outof-gauge cargo and an understanding of the geopolitical landscape can apply lessons from previous projects with huge knock-on benefits. By factoring in new market dynamics and identifying potential roadblocks, specialists can prevent delays and find solutions through clear communication.

With expertise, customers have optionality, which comes at a premium in today’s climate; for instance, by combining cargo on a scheduled MPV to share and save costs or by ensuring any specialised cradles or other equipment is in place to prevent additional insurance premiums.

Demonstrating the level of knowledge in place at Peters & May, our loadmasters team has a total combined work experience of 150 years, with many having served in the British Army’s Royal Logistics Corps. We just cannot underestimate these decades of hands-on experience in loading and offloading heavy machinery, oversized equipment, or complex and challenging cargo in multiple global ports.

In today’s new ‘normal’ climate, the importance of forward planning and the support of specialist, experienced problemsolving experts to manage schedules, budgets, and navigate new rules and risks with confidence is more critical than ever before. ‚

At Peters & May, our core principle is simple: every journey, every passage, and every lift must be executed to perfection. This dedication has elevated us to the peak of the industry and made us the trusted name that international logistics depends on. With over 50 years of experience, we’re known for our reliable, precise, and passionate approach to maritime logistics. Sail to petersandmay.com to discover more.

Photos: Peters & May

ECG’s 2025 General Assembly & Spring Congress

Determination despite uncertainty by

Przemysław Opłocki

This year’s General Assembly & Spring Congress of ECG (Association of European Vehicle Logistics) took place on 22-23 May on the Atlantic coast in the Portuguese Cascais. One burning question dissected during the event was the future of business relationships with the US, especially in light of the volatile customs policy tossed around by Trump’s cabinet.

Over 300 delegates from member companies and partners discussed how to conduct business effectively in the face of geopolitical changes, political tensions, armed conflicts – and how all of this will affect production and supply chains. Strengthening business relationships and closer cooperation now seem not only important, but essential. Another topic was how to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support people working in the vehicle logistics industry.

Day 1’s General Assembly saw report presentations from board members on the ECG work groups, highlights from regional meetings, and heard from Frank Schnelle, the Association’s Executive Director. There was also a presentation of a special report on sustainable development and emissions. The meeting introduced the ECG Board candidates and then elected Ceren Eker from ANT Lojistik and Artur Allende from Noatum Automotive as new members. All other board members were re-elected (besides Xavier Vázquez, who did not stand for re-election).

The emblematic ECG Gala Dinner took place at SUD Lisboa, a place with a magnificent view of the 25th of April Bridge, which connects Lisbon with the southern bank of the Tagus River. This year’s Gala was also a time for an

official ‘farewell’ to ECG’s outgoing Executive Director, Mike Sturgeon, after 15 years of nothing but rolled-up-sleeves effort. In tune with tradition, the ECG Academy diploma ceremony took place.

Day 2’s Spring Congress kicked off with a speech by Wolfgang Göbel, President of ECG, who emphasised that the Association, faced with global changes and challenges, wants to support the development of its members’ businesses and improve their ability to work with new technologies. To that end, ECG struck a strategic cooperation agreement with the China Automotive Logistics Association (CALA) in April 2025. CALA’s delegation, mainly with OEM representatives, is expected to partake in ECG’s autumn conference (16-17 October 2025, Amsterdam). ECG has also refreshed its collaboration with the Automotive Industry Action Group.

Professor Alexander Sandkamp (Kiel Institute for the World Economy) gave the first speech, talking about the planned American tariffs and their impact on European production. In his view, these should not be as significant as feared. Justin Cox (GlobalData) came with his classical automotive outlook, with an overarching conclusion that logistics providers must adapt (capacities, workforce) to the loss of five million cars in production.

Asked what could give the market another domestic or export boom, Cox hinted at electric vehicles (EVs). Both the EU and the UK could help here by lowering VAT and lessening regulations. The Chinese might, in his view, have a clear upper hand here production-wise by setting up plants specifically designed to assemble EVs, rather than struggling to retrofit legacy factories.

AI and digitalisation dominated the next session, especially how they may change the industry by improving processes and procedures. Federico Avellán Borgmeyer (efcom) presented how cubX (customer behaviour explorer) solutions help with detecting phantom invoices. Anike Murrenhoff (Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics) showed how AI solutions can solve specific challenges in the logistics sector. Representatives from the ECG Academy showed various AI applications to enhance productivity and reduce costs in the business of moving vehicles. Next was the Green Cost Calculator, a tool to help finished vehicle logistics navigate the complexities of fluctuating cost factors over the investment period.

Summarising the Congress, Wolfgang Göbel emphasised that “despite ongoing market uncertainties, this year’s ECG General

Photos: ECG

Assembly sent a clear signal of determination; the finished vehicle logistics sector is setting the course for digital transformation, CO2 transparency, and enhanced global

cooperation.” At the press conference, ECG board members underscored the importance of AI and digitalisation for the industry. As such, the Association has set in motion the

digitalisation working group, tasked with supporting its members with input and use cases. At the same time, ECG won’t be losing sight of environmental issues. ‚

Hundreds of maritime and defense companies will meet in Gdańsk this October

by Fitzwilliam Scott

The Baltic Sea is busy as ever – if not more! In an era of massive security and offshore wind energy investments, amid shifts in import and export markets, and the ongoing tech revolution, the need for the maritime industry to meet has also gained interest. That is why the upcoming BALTEXPO International Maritime and Military Fair in Gdańsk will be so important for the sector. Hundreds of companies & guests will gather on 7-8 October 2025 at the AMBEREXPO venue.

After two decades of relative stability, the maritime industry is facing new challenges whilst also seeing new growth opportunities. Growing regional & international decarbonization demands, coupled with a set of other EU regulations are forcing shipowners and port operators to invest in alternative fuels, hybrid propulsion systems, and fleet modernization. Meanwhile, the dynamic development of offshore wind energy, especially in the Baltic and North Seas, creates promising openings for the maritime services sector, shipyards, and component suppliers.

In these times full of change, it’s crucial for the industry to speak with one voice across Europe – only this way can it effectively lobby for favorable regulations, attract investment, and set common standards. A shared narrative also speeds up the implementation of other vital to the maritime sector solutions, including safety, environmental protection, and human (re)skill development.

The BALTEXPO trade fair in Gdańsk is exactly such a co-op platform; an event that brings together decision-makers, businesses, and academia, creating a space for exchanging experiences and shaping strategic directions for the sector to move forward boldly. Over 200 exhibitors from Poland and abroad will showcase their offerings. The agenda also includes the Safety Day (dedicated to preparing

for various types of crises), the Education, Career and Work Day (for those seeking new job opportunities in the industry), and the Baltic Ports Organization’s annual Baltic Ports Conference (bringing together key stakeholders from the region’s seaports – and beyond).

BALTEXPO is much more than just an overview of the latest technologies and projects – it’s a space for making joint,

long-term decisions. Port modernization, supply chain digitization, offshore wind energy development, and attracting new & qualified talent – all of this to help make the Baltic one of the most dynamically developing sea regions in Europe.

Discounted BALTEXPO 2025 ticket prices are up for grabs until September 15th! Register & learn more about the show at www.baltexpo.eu. ‚

Photos: BALTEXPO

BALTIC GREEN MAP 2025

Overview of products, infrastructure, Overview of products, infrastructure, services, and many more greenstuff services, and many more greenstuff in one place – on your wall, in one place – on your wall, computer, or phone! Plus the digital or phone! Plus the digital BALTIC GREEN MAP BALTIC GREEN MAP CATALOGUE with plenty of with plenty of wholesome details! wholesome details!

TANJA ANGELOVA

Development Specialist, Port of Naantali

Angelova, a Master Mariner from the Satakunta University of Applied Sciences – SAMK (where she also got a master’s in marine technology), has joined the Finnish seaport from the nearby Meyer Turku shipyard, where she began as Technical Team Leader to become Head of the Interior Outfitting Department. Angelova is no stranger to the port industry, having worked for the Port of Rauma for nearly nine years, serving as Harbour Master and Port Security Officer, and then Administrative Director.

PER GRIND

Business Unit Director – Handy, ESL Shipping

With a master’s in international business from Linköping University, Grind has almost 20 years of international experience in supply chains and logistics. His most recent job was with the Swedish arm of Maersk as Head of Sales. Grind also worked for, among many, Panalpina (as VP Regional Sales, Consumer Retail & Fashion APAC), APL Logistics (Lead Business Development & Key Accounts APAC), and Damco (Client Development Manager).

HÅKAN

JOHANSSON CEO, Destination Gotland

Until now, the chief exec (as well as Chief Financial Officer) of the ferry line’s parent organisation, Gotland Company, Johansson will take charge of the daughter company that connects Gotland with the Swedish mainland. He will stay at Gotland Company as Deputy CEO. Johansson is an alumnus of Jönköping School of Economics (in business administration) and Stockholm University (English). He’s also a board member of the International Chamber of Shipping.

BJÖRN NILSSON

CEO, Gotland Company

Nilsson, until now the organisation’s vice chair, a post he has held since 2018, has become its new Chief Executive Officer. Nilsson has extensive and solid experience in the banking and venture capital industries, both in Sweden and abroad. Together with his siblings and mother, he’s the majority owner of the company, which is the parent organisation to the ferry line Destination Gotland.

STEFAN PETTERSSON

General Manager, SOL Breakbulk

A graduate in nautical science from the Chalmers University of Technology, Pettersson has moved up within the company from the post of Marine Operations Coordinator. Earlier, he worked for another Swedish shipping line, TransAtlantic Container, first as Forwarding/ Site Manager and then as its General Manager. He also worked for the parent TransAtlantic in various occupations. Pettersson started his career at sea with B&N Nordsjöfrakt.

JARI KEMI

Technical Manager, Port of Raahe

An expert in construction management, Kemi has over 15 years of extensive experience in infrastructure projects in various positions, plus more than a decade and a half of background in ICT development tasks. He joins the Finnish seaport from Ramboll CM, where he worked as a construction consultant.

ING-MARIE PERSSON

Production Manager, Ports of Halland

An alumna of Kristianstad University (a master’s in psychology, leadership, and group development) and a certified catalytic coach from Gothia Akademi, Persson joins the Swedish seaports of Halmstad and Varberg from ESAB, where she filled the same post. Earlier, she worked for Heidelberg Materials as Factory Manager, and the Swedish chapter of Schenker, including as Head of HR and Operations Manager in charge of international road transports.

MARCUS RISBERG

CEO, Viking Line

After 11 years as chief executive and altogether 38 years of service with the company, Jan Hanses will retire, handing over the helm to the foregoing CEO of another ferry line, Destination Gotland. Risberg, a graduate in law from Stockholm University, was also CEO of the Swedish branch of yet another ferry company, Tallink Silja (where he also worked as Finance Director for Finland & Sweden). Risberg was also with Nokia (as Head of Finance & Control and then Head of Revenue Finance).