ESL Shipping announced that it christened its new eco-friendly dry cargo vessel, at the Jinling shipyard in Nanjing, China, on June 28. The ship was christened Viikki in honor of the shipping company’s tradition to name its ships for places in Helsinki.
According to the company’s statement, the 160-meter LNG-fueled vessel produces more than 50 percent lower carbon dioxide emissions than vessels of the previous generation.
“These new vessels are a significant step towards even greener shipping,” says Aki Ojanen, CEO of Aspo Plc and chairman of the Board of Directors of ESL Shipping.
Viikki will start operating in the Baltic Sea during the first half of 2018. The construction of its sister vessel is also proceeding on schedule, and it will be christened in September.
This construction project is part of the Bothnia Bulk project, co-funded partly by the EU. Its objective is to modernize the sea route between Luleå, Oxelösund and Raahe to be more eco-friendly. These vessels have been designed in Finland, and European equipment suppliers account for roughly 60 percent of all vessel systems.
