Gasum and Wasaline Partner for FuelEU Maritime Pooling Solution

By | 2024 Newsletter week 41 | No Comments

Gasum, a Nordic energy company, is collaborating with Wasaline to develop the first large-scale commercial FuelEU Maritime pooling service.

This initiative aims to help conventional fuel vessels comply with stringent European Union emission regulations. The pooling service will allow shipping companies to meet compliance targets by leveraging over-compliance from vessels running on ultra-low emission fuels like bio-LNG, provided by Gasum.

Wasaline’s hybrid ferry, Aurora Botnia will contribute to the pool by using bio-LNG. This over-compliance can be shared with vessels that rely on conventional fuels, thus reducing their regulatory burden. Gasum, a leader in bio-LNG production and distribution, guarantees a reliable supply of renewable fuel for Wasaline, ensuring the stability of the pooling service.

FuelEU Maritime regulations, effective from 2025, will require vessels over 5,000 gross tonnage to reduce the carbon intensity of their fuels by 2%, with more stringent reductions to follow, potentially reaching 80% by 2050. The pooling service offers a flexible solution, allowing vessels with higher emissions to meet these requirements by relying on the emission savings of bio-LNG-powered ships.

Jacob Granqvist, Gasum’s Vice President for Maritime, highlighted that the pooling service offers shipping companies an easy, cost-effective way to comply with regulations while promoting low-emission fuel production. Wasaline’s CEO, Peter Ståhlberg, expressed excitement about participating in a project that supports renewable energy use and helps drive the green transition in the shipping industry.

This partnership marks a significant step towards decarbonising maritime transport, with Gasum aiming to offer 7 TWh of renewable gas annually by 2027, contributing to substantial carbon dioxide reductions.

Read more about Gasum’s services for the maritime transport sector.

Climate Compensation Gains Popularity at Wasaline

By | 2024 Newsletter week 36 | No Comments

Wasaline introduced a carbon offset option in June 2024, which has seen significant uptake, particularly among Swedish travellers, with over 1,500 choosing to offset their travel emissions. The proceeds are used to power the ship with biogas, enhancing its sustainability. Wasaline aims to reduce its carbon footprint by at least 5% annually, working towards climate-neutral operations by 2030. 

Wasaline introduces voluntary climate compensation also for passengers

By | 2024 Newsletter week 23 | No Comments

Passengers on the Vaasa-Umeå route can now opt to compensate for their journey by paying a nominal voluntary fee. Wasaline aims to reduce its climate footprint by at least 5% annually and achieve climate neutrality in Kvarken by 2030.

Operating with biogas and batteries has made the journey climate neutral. Since the launch of Aurora Botnia, CO2 emissions have decreased by 27.1%, with 10% of journeys in 2023 powered by biogas. The 2024 goal is a 15% reduction in CO2 footprint, according to Peter Ståhlberg, Managing Director of Wasaline.

Customer demand has driven the introduction of climate compensation, with fees used to purchase biogas. There is significant interest from cargo customers in climate-neutral operations. Currently, Wasaline offers emission-neutral intermodal transport to the continent via Sweden, using trains from Gothenburg and Trelleborg ports. The Vaasa-Umeå sea route aspires to be a Green Shipping Corridor by 2030.

Record-breaking passenger volumes for Wasaline in 2023

By | 2024 Newsletter week 02 | No Comments

Wasaline announced excellent results for 2023.

+4.4% passengers

+14.3% cars

+11.6% buses

-5.9% cargo units, mostly due to the ending of traffic to and from Russia. The volume of imported paper has decreased due to lower demand. Export from Finland has remained approximately at the same level.

Turnover for Wasaline stayed the same compared to 2022.

Wasaline expects the first two quarters of 2024 to be difficult for both passenger and freight services due to the current economic downturn.

The shipping company is closely monitoring the (heavy) ice conditions in the Kvarken strait and is prepared to reduce the frequency of departures if necessary.

Record-Breaking Summer for Wasaline

By | 2023 Newsletter week 32 | No Comments

Wasaline continues to show record figures in traffic between Vaasa (Finland) and Umeå (Sweden).

Up: passenger and vehicle volumes.

Down: freight volumes, due to the economic downturn.

+7% passengers (67,029) in July 2023

+12.5% passengers in H1, 2023

+16.4% cars (17,625) in July 2023

+28.2% buses (50) in July 2023

-14.4% cargo lane metres (26,188) in July 2023

“We are very satisfied with the summer so far, and the booking status for August looks promising as well,” says Peter Ståhlberg, Managing Director of Wasaline.

Wasaline allocates more resources to sustainability

By | 2023 Newsletter week 21 | No Comments
  • Wasaline is making organizational changes to emphasize its role as a forerunner in maritime sustainability.
  • Catarina Fant has been appointed as Director, Brand, Communications and Sustainability. In her new role she will also oversee strategic investments and establish contacts with partners and financiers in sustainability-related projects.
  • Responsibility for marketing duties will be shifted from Fant to Marketing Manager Markku Ikonen. He reports to Head of Sales and Business Development Niina Aitamurto. Niina will lead the updated sales and marketing organization as well as the Growth Team, a cross-functional unit that is responsible for driving company growth.
  • By making these changes, Wasaline responds to the growing demand in the market and stays one step ahead.

Record year for Wasaline

By | 2023 Newsletter week 9 | No Comments

Wasaline has reported a record 2022:

  • Operating profit was EUR 3.3 million
  • Revenue up 78.6%
  • Fuel costs increased 55.4% to EUR 5.97 million
  • Labour and benefit costs increased by 37.5%
  • Passenger revenue was up 150.7 % and volumes up 149%
  • Freight revenue up 7.7% and volumes by 4.4%
  • Passenger vehicle numbers increased 126%
  • Departures of AURORA BOTNIA increased 14% to 1,133 sailings
  • Energy consumption reduced by 21% per trip and CO2 emissions by 19.6%

Eckerö Linjen increased passenger volumes – steadily back to pre-covid figures

By | 2023 Newsletter week 2 | No Comments

The number of guests who travelled in 2022 between Eckerö and Grisslehamn is much higher than the year before, and is about 82% of the passenger volume in pre-covid year 2019.

From 1 July 2022, all entry restrictions from Sweden to Åland were also removed, which meant that many Swedes again booked Åland as their holiday destination via the Eckerö Line in 2022.

Photographer: Niclas Nordl