Swedish short sea shipping company AtoB@C Shipping, part of ESL Shipping of Finland, has recently taken delivery of its fourth battery hybrid 5,350dwt cargo vessel, ‘Aquamar’, part of a 12-ship order placed with the Chowgule shipyard in India.
AtoB@C is scheduled to take delivery of one more new ship each quarter until autumn 2026. The vessels, built to Lloyd’s Register Ice Class 1A are equipped with plug-in hybrid technology and shore power connections for minimal environmental impact. Main engine is a Yanmar 1920kW medium speed unit, supplemented by a 1MWh battery pack. Combined with a hull design optimised for maximum cargo volume and hydrodynamic efficiency, the series is said to emit nearly 50% less CO2 compared to conventional vessels in the AtoB@C fleet.
One of the company’s major clients, Metsä Group, aims reduce fossil-based CO2 emissions from its wood supply by 30% from the 2022 level. The bulk of these emissions derives from wood being transported by lorry, train and ship to the mills for refinement. Metsä Group and AtoB@C Shipping have jointly undertaken to reduce wood transport emissions by 30 per cent from the 2022 baseline by 2030.
Hannu Alarautalahti, SVP, Production, Metsä Group Wood Supply and Forest Services said: “Metsä Group’s emissions reduction target requires tangible plans and committed logistics partnerships enabling us to systematically move towards our 2030 target. In Metsä Group’s emissions reduction roadmap, the commitments made with our partners now encompass more than 90% of wood transports by sea.”
AtoB@C Shipping adds that in addition to a modernised fleet, emissions reductions will come from improvements made to operational efficiency using the Virtual Arrival concept, for example, as well as from modern energy solutions in ports and the adoption of renewable bunker fuel.
Mikki Koskinen, Chairman AtoB@C Shipping and MD ESL Shipping said: “Cooperation is key to reducing emissions, and we are pleased that our customers are also committed to ambitious emissions reduction targets. Combined with other measures improving efficiency, the new Green Coaster hybrid vessels will create a good foundation for achieving our targets.”
The shipyard launched the fifth vessel in the series, Maximar, earlier in September 2024 and outfitting of the vessel continues ahead of delivery later in the year.
Image: ‘Aquamar’, latest addition to the fleet of 12 hybrid cargo vessels (credit: AtoB@C Shipping)
