Nations and Industry Partners Respond to Green Shipping Challenge
Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry are co-leading an international initiative to accelerate reduction of emissions from the shipping sector, and on December 1, during COP28, they chaired a new round of announcements under that initiative, the Green Shipping Challenge.Various countries and organizations proposed measures to reduce emissions from shipping. This year’s announcements include:• Amazon: Amazon and other…
Port of Helsinki Aims to Be Carbon Neutral by 2030
The Port of Helsinki announced it is tightening the timeline for its carbon neutrality program and is now aiming to be carbon neutral by 2030.“We will minimize our own energy consumption through modernizing heating, moving to LED lighting and increasing self-produced solar power,” said Andreas Slotte, head of sustainable development at the Port of Helsinki.“Furthermore, we will acquire the additional energy we need from zero-carbon sources. We will also influence the reduction of our subcontractors’ carbon footprint through our procurements.” “As for ship traffic…
Boskalis Clinches Port of Helsinki Dredging Deal
Dutch marine services and dredging contractor Boskalis has secured 32 million euros ($35 million) worth of dredging works in Finland's Port of Helsinki.Under the contracts awarded by the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, the Port of Helsinki, and the City of Helsinki, Boskalis will deepen de Vuosaari fairway and harbor basin from eleven to thirteen meters in the Port of Helsinki.The Dutch company will then use and utilize a part of the dredged material for the development of Helsinki’s Hernesaari area, which is close to the center of the city.
Cruise ships Hit Record in Helsinki
During the cruise season that ended on 22 October, a total of 603,500 cruise passengers arrived in Helsinki. This was 16 per cent more than the previous year.There were a total of 303 ship visits to Helsinki. This was the first time the number exceeded 300. This translates to a 6-percent growth from last year (2018:285).The largest percentages of cruise passengers came from Germany (32%), the United States (21%) and the United Kingdom (10%). The top three nationalities remained the same as the previous year, although the proportion of German visitors grew slightly. The proportions of other nationalities among visitors to Helsinki were all less than 5%.The popularity of Helsinki as a destination for international cruise ships has grown steadily…
Nauticor Undertakes 1st SIMPOS LNG Bunkering
Hamburg-based Nauticor, a unit of Linde, together with the logistics company Unifeeder completed a simultaneous operations (SIMOPS) ship-to-ship bunkering of the liquefied natural gas (LNG)-retrofit Wes Amelie at the port of Helsinki, Finland.The world’s largest bunker supply vessel for liquefied natural gas (LNG) Kairos supplied the chilled fuel to the Wes Amelie at the Vuosaari Harbour container terminal through a SIMOPS (simultaneous operations), Nauticor saidThe transfer of LNG between the two vessels marks an important step in several aspects, with the operation being the first LNG ship-to-ship operation for the Port of Helsinki as well as the first SIMOPS LNG ship-to-ship operation for a container vessel in the Baltic Sea in general.Hans Staal…
Marine Cities: The Next Great Disruptor
There was general consensus that cities are fast becoming the drivers of global development in a world that needs to find greener and more sustainable solutions, said SEA20, a not-for-profit initiative aimed at bringing together a selected group of representatives from the world’s most influential port cities to plan the future of urban living and the role of shipping within that.Pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and increasing congestion are contributing to social tension in cities. The maritime sector has a significant role to play in abating these issues if only the doors would be further opened to encourage a better relationship…
Elenger Begins LNG bunkering in Helsinki
Elenger, the subsidiary company of the Eesti Gaas group operating in foreign markets, started LNG bunkering in the port of Helsinki.The ship being bunkered is the same that Eesti Gaas bunkers in the port of Tallinn, the shuttle Megastar, which cruises between Helsinki and Tallinn.“While LNG bunkering is rather a rare sight in the port of Helsinki these days, it is bound to become one of routine operations in the nearest future: LNG will eventually replace diesel fuel among marine fuels, which will contribute to cleaner air and cleaner Baltic Sea,” Jarko Alanko, the CEO of Elenger Finland, noted.Captain Tarvi-Carlos Tuulik, Head of Ship Management at Tallink Group…
Port of Helsinki Launches Separate Company for Ship Services
Finland's main port Port of Helsinki Ltd is preparing for the implementation of the requirements of the EU’s Port Services Regulation by transferring ship services covered by the regulation to a subsidiary company.From 1 January 2019 onwards, the new company South Finland Port Service Ltd, owned by the Port of Helsinki Ltd, will be responsible for vessel mooring and unmooring. Some sixty employees will be transferred to the new company.Kari Noroviita, technical director at Port of Helsinki Ltd, will start as CEO of the company along with his other duties."The new business model makes it possible to develop our operations more efficiently than before.
Kalmar Backs Suomen Satamatekniikka Oy
Kalmar, part of Cargotec, has signed a Kalmar Care service agreement with Suomen Satamatekniikka, a subsidiary of Steveco, covering the maintenance and service of 16 Kalmar straddle carriers at the Port of Helsinki, Finland. The order was booked in Cargotec's 2017 fourth quarter order intake and the agreement comes into effect from the beginning of February 2018. Steveco, a leading port operator in Finland, employs approximately 850 people and has annual revenues of close to EUR 160 million. The company operates three ports in Finland - Mussalo and Hietanen in Kotka, and Vuosaari in Helsinki - which are optimally located with regard to the main cargo routes into and out of Finland and Russia.
Langh Tech Scrubber Honored
The scrubber from Langh Tech received the Baltic Sea Clean Maritime Award at the Baltic Sea Forum in Berlin. The third-place award was handed to Langh Group’s Chairman of the Board, Maritime Counsellor Hans Langh by Professor Kurt Bodewig, European Coordinator Baltic-Adriatic. The Forum was organized in connection with the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) Annual Forum. The Baltic Sea Clean Maritime Award is awarded to innovative and environmentally friendly solutions and ideas, which promote the well-being of the Baltic Sea.
Cavotec Automated Mooring and Charging for E-Ferries
Cavotec's MoorMaster automated mooring and Automatic Plug-in System (APS) are set to enter service with a hybrid battery-powered ferry in Finland, delivering substantial operational efficiencies and reducing environmental impact. The Electra, operated by FinFerries, is 90m long, 16m wide, and carries up to 90 vehicles. It makes crossings at 15-minute intervals during the day, and one round trip per hour at night, year-round and in all weather conditions between Parainen and Nauvo in southwest Finland.
Wärtsilä joins battle against ocean plastics
The Finnish technology group Wärtsilä has signed an agreement with the Seabin Project to join their global pilot programme, which addresses the worldwide littering problem affecting our oceans. The project aims at approaching the challenge from multiple angles with a key emphasis on education, research and technology. Wärtsilä will work in cooperation with Seabin Project for the next three years and has sponsored both the city and port of Helsinki's involvement with the programme. The Wärtsilä - Seabin partnership aims at dynamic and versatile actions using Wärtsilä's experience, established technologies, and know-how in environmental product development. The partnership with Seabin is part of Wärtsilä Corporation's Finland 100 year centennial programme.
Four Baltic Sea Ports Pact for Onshore Power Supply
Four Baltic Sea ports, namely Estonia’s port of Tallinn, Swedish ports of Stockholm and Finland’s ports of Helsinki and Turku, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aiming for a common approach for a new onshore power supply for vessels. The aim of the cooperation is to actively contribute to reducing negative effects on the environment, according to the parties. "The passenger ferry quays in Helsinki, Stockholm, Tallinn and Turku are located close to the city centers," Ellen Kaasik, head of the Port of Tallinn's Department of Quality and Environmental Management stated in a press release. "The combination of noise, vibration and other ship emissions (CO2, NOx, PM) can have a negative effect on existing and future living and working areas.
Helsinki Port Tariffs to Increase
From 2016 onwards, the Port of Helsinki will increase the following tariffs: * Harbor dues: + 1.5 percent * Garbage/sludge truck waiting/per hour: + 1.5 percent * Water sales: + 1.4 percent (+possible increase in HSY water sales cost) * Passenger dues: + 1.1 percent
Greenpeace Activists Divert Helsinki-bound Coal Ship
The environmental activist group Greenpeace managed to board and get a coal-carrying freighter on its way from St. Petersburg to change its course before arriving to Helsinki harbour. A Greenpeace activist has scaled the 155m long bulk carrier, Alppila, transporting coal to one of Finland’s most polluting power plants in central Helsinki. The coal ship and its climate-damaging cargo have now aborted its entry to the Port of Helsinki and now steam away from Helsinki accompanied by a Finnish coast guard vessel. One activist made the climb up the side of the Alppila and was immediately detained by the crew onboard. Later, however, the activist managed to climb a crane onboard the coal ship and get to the grab.
Shell's Icebreaker Vessel Damaged in Alaska
Royal Dutch Shell Plc's icebreaker vessel Fennica returned to the Dutch Harbor in Alaska with a small breech in the hull, raising concerns about the company's plan to resume drilling in the Arctic later this month. Shell said in June it plans to restart drilling for oil in the Arctic off Alaska as early as the third week of July after a conditional approval by the United States. "Any impact to our season will ultimately depend on the extent of the repair," spokeswoman Kelly op de Weegh said in an e-mail to Reuters.
Wartsila Opens New Facility in Helsinki
Wärtsilä has opened new workshop facilities in Helsinki, Finland. The new facilities enable Wärtsilä to offer a wide range of workshop services with rapid response times. Operations in Helsinki began in early August 2011. "The new workshop is strategically located near the main shipping routes and this, together with its efficient storage arrangements, will significantly enhance our service capacity. For customers with maintenance agreements, the added component storage will reduce transportation and travel costs, and ensure prompt response times for vessels operating in the Baltic area," says Christoph Vitzthum, Group Vice President, Wärtsilä Services.