ESL Shipping starts another virtual arrival trial to cut CO2 emissions

Finnish shipping company ESL Shipping, compatriot steel producer SSAB and the Port of Oxelösund have started a virtual arrival trial in the Luleå-Oxelösund traffic after the first couple of arrivals have resulted in reductions in consumption and CO₂ emissions.

The basic idea of virtual arrival is to reduce a vessel’s speed to meet revised arrival time if it is known that the berth will not be free on arrival.

Regardless of the actual arrival time, the vessel still retains its place in the line-up based on the arrival time in normal service speed. In addition to decreased environmental footprint, virtual arrival gives a port better tools for more reliable scheduling and line-up of vessels.

“The aim is to extend the virtual arrival to other common trade lines after the summer,” Kirsi Ylärinne, Operations Director at ESL, said, adding that clients have shown strong interest in the concept.

ESL Shipping has been testing the virtual arrival concept for some time now, in close cooperation with its core customers. This enabled the company to agree with the charterer to reduce the vessel’s speed in order to meet a revised arrival time when there is a known delay at the port.

“By reducing the vessel’s speed, it is also possible to reduce the consumption and consequently CO2 emissions and congestion in the port and anchorage area when the vessel is able to enter the port directly on arrival,” according to ESL Shipping.

Afterward, the difference between the consumption on normal speed and actual consumption as a result of virtual arrival is compared and the savings are shared between the shipping company and its customer.