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LNG powered vessels are a great asset for ESL Shipping
ESL Shipping, the leading carrier of dry bulk cargo in the Baltic region, promotes sustainability through LNG powered vessels. Using LNG has awakened ESL Shipping’s customers’ interest and lowered their fuel costs. The shipping company is waiting eagerly for the opportunity to receive biogas deliveries from Gasum as well.
ESL Shipping has high ambitions when it comes to sustainability. At the moment, the Helsinki-based shipping company has two vessels in its fleet that run on LNG. M/s Viikki and m/s Haaga are ESL Shipping’s latest newbuildings. They carry cargo mainly between the port of Raahe in Finland and the ports of Luleå and Oxelösund in Sweden.
“Vessels have to be replaced by newbuildings every now and then, which is the best moment to think about how to make them more sustainable. Natural gases will be one of the strongest options for powering our newbuildings in the future as well”, says Matti-Mikael Koskinen, Managing Director of ESL Shipping.
Gasum is a key supplier of LNG in the region that meets ESL Shipping’s volume demands. In the future, the shipping company is also interested in using biogas in addition to LNG. Koskinen says that they haven’t yet received any biogas deliveries from Gasum but are eagerly waiting for future opportunities.
Sustainability supported choosing LNG
According to Koskinen, the prompt for LNG powered vessels was simply sustainability. Its positive impact on carbon emissions was considered to be a great asset also in terms of ESL Shipping’s clients.
Most of ESL Shipping’s clients come from heavy industry. Over the last few years, the Scandinavian heavy industry has steered itself towards a more sustainable direction. For example, one of ESL Shipping’s clients, Swedish SSAB, has included the objective of decreasing its carbon emissions into its strategy.
“Our clients and potential clients are extremely interested in our LNG powered vessels. We have been able to utilize them in our marketing and have also received a lot of praise from our clients for offering a more environmentally friendly way to move cargo.”
LNG has also some economic benefits. According to Koskinen the pricing is even more competitive than they anticipated.
“At the moment we are saving money by using LNG. In the future, the purity of LNG as a fuel should also decrease our maintenance costs.”
Guide: Liquefied gas for cleaner maritime transports
We have gathered some information for you in a guide about cleaner maritime transports. You will see what influences shipping to reduce emissions, including regulations, market demands and trends.
