EU to Co-Finance Swedish-Finnish Maritime Suggestion

When defined actions are conducted the participants of the Swedish-Finnish maritime suggestion “Make a Difference” will be co-financed by the EU via the Trans-European Transport Network.

The estimated total cost of the work packages is € 2 494 000 of which € 1 247 000 will be granted. The organizations conducting the work are Preem, Sirius Shipping, Viking Line, DNV, FKAB, Swedish Shipowners’ Association, and SSPA. Different areas of the work are supported by Skangass, Ports’ of Stockholm, MAN Diesel & Turbo and the Finnish Shipowners’ Association.

As Swedes and Finns we live in an Emission Control Area, it’s one of todays two defined areas in the world which has been selected to hold a higher level of protection agains pollution. For shipping this means that new technologies need to be tested in order to be implemented, safety issues need to be assessed and the necessary infrastructure needs to be in place. The balance act is to conduct this work while maintaining competitive industry prices for transported goods, so that quality of life for the citizens can remain stable.

The market is complex and different solutions are needed to reach the set goals. In ”Make a Difference” for the shipping industry (MaD), the above mentioned organisations are willing to invest to reach the aims for LNG fuelled ships. Since it’s more expensive to implement new technology and finding new ways forward, EU said yes to co-financeing the needed studies and the preparatory work. Concretely this means;

– prepare for the LNG certification process for LNG fueled vessels and operators,

– harmonise land-based and sea-based regulations and bunkering requirements internationally,

– select and demonstrate vessel environmentally efficient solutions,

– identify logistic solutions for energy efficiency,

– develop safe and efficient methods for LNG bunkering and LNG fuelled vessels,

– assess safety issues onboard and in port.

Christer Schoug CEO at the Swedish Shipowners’ Association clarifies ”we will of course coordinate with other initiatives and use the ZVT cooperation platform to disseminate our results to the benefit for many”.

MaD includes stakeholders representing; cargo owner, port, shipowner, classification society, LNG supplier and marine equipment manufacturers in a so-called Joint Industry Project, JIP EVOlution, on the ZVT cooperation platform where different chains of maritime transport collaborates to find common usable solutions for a more safe, environmentally and energy efficient transport at sea. The platform also offers support from its reference group, ZVTREF, comprising among aothers Swedish Agencies and Authorities.

The defined actions in MaD are the first steps towards reaching the results that JIP EVOlution likes to achieve; to build & operate a dual fuel vessel, integrate with port, and offer a future platform for research.

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DNV, December 18, 2012