Viking Line has begun operating its two ro-ro vessels, Viking Glory and Viking Grace, on bio-LNG to generate compliance for Gasum’s FuelEU Maritime pooling service, according to Gasum's release.
The move follows a Letter of Intent signed by the two companies at the end of 2024. Both vessels sail daily between the Port of Turku in Finland and Stockholm in Sweden, transporting cargo and passengers across the Baltic Sea.
According to the companies, the regular route ensures predictability in compliance generation for the pool.
“We at Viking Line aim to be among the frontrunners as Finnish maritime shows the world how to transition to a fossil-free future. We have been offering our passenger and cargo customers the chance to buy biogas for their leg between Turku and Stockholm for two years now. This new move enables us to increase our bio-LNG use to 50 percent, allowing for substantial emission cuts on the route. We are more than happy to work with Gasum to help the whole European maritime industry reduce emissions by using more biofuel,” said Jan Hanses, CEO of Viking Line.
Gasum manages the pooling service, supplies bio-LNG, and offers over-compliance to shipping companies using conventional fuel vessels. The company relies on DNV’s technology to collect and validate fuel consumption and emissions data, and DNV will verify the pool’s balance for EU reporting at the end of the year.
The bio-LNG used is waste-based liquefied biomethane, which the company states has life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions about 90 percent lower than marine gasoil.
Gasum Oy is a Finnish state-owned energy company and a Nordic gas sector operator. It provides natural gas, biogas, and energy market services for industries, combined heat and power production, as well as transport. The company is headquartered in Espoo, Finland.
Viking Line Abp is a Finnish public limited company engaged in maritime transport services on the Baltic Sea. It operates a fleet of passenger and cargo vessels connecting Finland, Sweden, Estonia, and the Åland Islands. The company is headquartered in Mariehamn, Åland.
DNV AS is an independent assurance and risk management company headquartered in Norway. It provides certification, classification, and technical advisory services for industries including shipping, energy, and healthcare.