BERG Introduces the World’s First GreenForge Shafts

BERG Propulsion is making history by offering the shipping industry its first opportunity to select propeller shafts produced using the climate-neutral GreenForge® process. As the maritime sector faces increasing carbon pricing, this breakthrough provides a sustainable alternative to conventional steel production.

Three new Ro-Ro vessels from Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA), set to enter service in 2026 for transatlantic transport of aircraft parts, are already designed for low-emission operations. They will feature wind-assisted propulsion through rotor sails, alongside hybrid propulsion, power management, and control technology from BERG.

Additionally, BERG will supply these vessels with propeller shafts made from recycled scrap steel, manufactured using Björneborg Steel’s GreenForge® process. This innovative approach relies on renewable electricity and replaces traditional propane with fossil-free biogas rDME or bio-propane. The process has been independently verified to reduce CO2 emissions by 95% compared to standard methods, with the remaining emissions offset to ensure full climate neutrality.

Björneborg Steel estimates that manufacturing the six propeller shafts for LDA using GreenForge® will cut CO2 emissions by 160 tonnes compared to conventional production methods.

“BERG is delighted to work with Sweden’s cutting-edge steel industry and pioneer the use of maritime GreenForge®. ” said Kajsa de Mello, Operations Director, BERG Propulsion. “We are proud to be the first supplier in the world to offer customers propeller shafts using this process. It is fitting that the first sea-going application should be low emission ships.”

The world’s first climate-neutral propeller shaft for LDA is set for delivery from Björneborg Steel to the BERG facility in Hönö, Sweden, in March 2025, with five additional shafts arriving by the end of June.

The European Union’s ‘Clean Industrial Deal’ aims to boost European industries by promoting renewable energy, reducing barriers to clean technology investment, and providing financial incentives to cut carbon emissions. Stricter regulations on industrial CO2 emissions are also expected to enhance the competitive advantage of sustainable processes like GreenForge®. As carbon emission rights are phased out, EU steelmakers must either transition to climate-neutral production or face increasing costs and penalties. By 2030, Björneborg Steel predicts that emission-free steelmaking will become more cost-effective than traditional methods.

“The sustainability case for carbon neutral steel is compelling and, while it is currently at the premium end of the market, its use will offer marine equipment buyers a route around escalating fossil-based production costs,” de Mello added. “BERG is proud to lead where others will have to follow.”

Håkan Dedorsson, CEO of Björneborg Steel, emphasized the importance of industry-wide collaboration in advancing sustainability: “Like other industries, maritime has its share of sustainability leaders and stakeholders open to the innovations needed for the challenges ahead. We are ramping up production based on the cutting-edge GreenForge® process, subject to the availability of biogases and we look forward to helping BERG’s customers make the green choice that will benefit generations to come.”

Based on demand, Björneborg Steel aims to transition its entire production to the GreenForge® process by 2027.