Wasaline has signed a biogas contract with Gasum and a Fuel EU Maritime pooling agreement with Stena Line, enabling the company to use only biofuels in the future, according to the company's release.
This development makes the Vaasa–Umeå route the first international green shipping corridor in operation, following support from the DNV-led Nordic Roadmap.
Wasaline’s original target of becoming carbon neutral by 2030 has been met ahead of schedule.
The cooperation between Wasaline, Stena Line, and Gasum allows the daily operation of the hybrid ferry Aurora Botnia with high-quality certified biogas.
Aurora Botnia is already equipped with batteries, and an extension of the battery capacity to 10.4 MWh was announced earlier this year.
After the planned conversion with additional battery capacity in January 2026, carried out with AYK energy, Foreship, and Wärtsilä, Aurora Botnia will have the largest battery capacity on a ROPAX vessel, totaling 12.6 MWh.
Vegar Rype, Segment Director RoRo and Ferries at DNV, noted that the recognition of the Vaasa–Umeå route as the first operational international green shipping corridor supports the ambitions of the Clydebank Declaration and the Ministerial Declaration on zero-emission routes between Nordic countries.
Operated by NLC Ferry Ab Oy, Wasaline is a Finnish shipping company based in Vaasa, Finland. It provides passenger and freight services between Finland and Sweden and operates in the Gulf of Bothnia.
Stena Line is a privately-owned Swedish ferry operator, part of the Stena AB Group, with operations in Europe. It manages both passenger and freight transportation and invests in intermodal logistics solutions.
Gasum is a Finnish state-owned energy company specializing in natural gas, biogas, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) solutions, with operations in Finland, Sweden, and Norway.
DNV is an international accredited registrar and classification society headquartered in Høvik, Norway, providing services for risk management and quality assurance in various industries, including maritime, oil and gas, and renewable energy.