Ferries to Demonstrate First Green Corridor Operating for a Week on Biogas
Viking Line, the Baltic ferry operator based in Finland, plans to demonstrate the future Baltic Green Corridor with special operations between Turku, Finland and Stockholm, Sweden later this month. For one week, two of the company’s ferries will operate using only liquified biogas resulting in a 90 percent reduction in harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
“This is a historic moment for us, the Baltic Sea, and maritime transport,” said Viking Line’s Sustainability Manager, Dani Lindberg. “Scheduled service has never before been powered solely by biofuel. We have invested 450 million euros in our climate-smart vessels Viking Grace and Viking Glory, and one of their most important features is that they can run on LNG, biofuel, and future synthetic fuels produced from renewable energy.”
The company is involved in the efforts to develop a green sea corridor in the Baltic targeting the routes between Turku and Stockholm as well as between Helsinki, Finland and Tallinn, Estonia. While these efforts are ongoing and the supply of biogas is yet to be expanded, Viking Line plans to kick off a special celebration for Baltic Sea Day by demonstrating the world’s first green corridor.
From August 29 to September 4, Viking Glory (built in 2022 and 65,000 gross tons) and Viking Grace (built in 2013 and 57,500 gross tons) will only be operating on LBG. The vessels are equipped to run on sustainable fuel and have run on it for limited periods instead of their normal LNG fuel. Viking explains that while biogas is already a part of its fuel mix today, availability and the price put a damper on it currently. According to the company, when it is available it currently costs twice as much as LNG.
The biogas for the special week will be supplied by Gasum. It will be made in Europe entirely of food and agricultural waste and fully certified. The vessels make an approximate 11-hour trip between the two destinations as well as offering passengers the option of a 24-hour cruise. Viking estimates a week of biogas operations will generate about 2,600 fewer tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. They equate that to the annual average carbon dioxide footprint of 270 Finns.
Viking drew attention a year ago when it began offering passengers and cargo shippers the option of paying a surcharge for their travel to be with biofuel. The base fee for a passenger adds SEK 26 (approximately $2.50) to the fare. Viking reports when it began highlighting the option on its booking system the number of trips using biofuel increased 500 percent.
Viking Line, the Ports of Stockholm, and the Port of Turku signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2024 formalizing the efforts to launch the green corridor. Efforts will phase in with the goal for the corridor to be 100 percent carbon-neutral by 2035.