Rhys BerryFinland-based Valio has started shipping its dairy products across Baltic Sea on the liquefied biogas-powered Viking Glory and Viking Grace.
The initiative, which began earlier this month, is expected to contribute to Valio achieving its aim of achieving a carbon-neutral milk chain by 2035, Viking Line said in a statement last week.
‘Fossil-free maritime transport is still rare – globally, it accounts for only about 0.1% of maritime traffic. However, maritime transport’s green transition is possible here and now, which is demonstrated by Valio choosing fossil-free maritime transport on our vessels,’ said Viking Line’s Freight Director, Harri Tammine.
‘We hope more and more of our cargo customers will choose biogas for their transport.’
Valio Sweden’s Sustainability Manager, Anette Björnlund, added: ‘We have worked with great focus to reduce our emissions throughout the value chain. We can now proudly announce that our goods transports – both by lorry and by ship – are completely fossil-free.
‘This is one step towards our goal of achieving a totally carbon-neutral milk chain by 2035.’
As previously reported by ship.energy, a green shipping corridor is being developed between Turku and Stockholm, and is expected to be in place by 2035. Viking Line highlighted that an important part of this project, which involves, among others, the Ports of Turku and Stockholm, is increasing the share of biofuel used on its vessels.
Along with Valio, the Norwegian conglomerate Orkla ASA has chosen Viking Line’s green maritime cargo transport option, shipping Felix ketchup from Sweden to Finland on vessels fuelled by biogas.
Image: Viking Line
Ian Taylor
Ariane Morrissey
