Finland's Eckerö Line to Use Neste's Biofuel for FuelEU Compliance

Several shipping firms are incorporating biofuels into their marine fuel mix to meet FuelEU targets. Image Credit: Neste

Finland’s ferry operator Eckerö Line will incorporate marine biofuel sourced from Neste into its fuel mix to comply with the FuelEU Maritime regulations.

By partially substituting conventional marine fuel with biofuel, Eckerö Line aims to meet the regulation’s initial target of a 2% reduction in GHG emissions, Neste said in a statement on its website on Thursday.

Eckerö Line regularly operates ferry services between Helsinki and Tallinn.

“Eckerö Line provides freight and passenger services on the Baltic Sea and is the first company in Finland to adopt Neste MY Renewable Diesel for commercial maritime transport,” Finnish renewable energy firm Neste said.

Neste’s renewable diesel is produced from hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO), a renewable fuel derived from waste and residue raw materials.

It can be burned in pure form, i.e. 100% HVO (HVO 100), or blended with conventional marine fuels in any ratio.

With the FuelEU Maritime regulation coming into force this year, several shipping companies have incorporated biofuel into their marine fuel mix to comply with the new requirements. The regulation initially targets a 2% reduction in GHG intensity compared to the 2020 baseline in 2025. This target will triple to 6% by 2030 and further increase to 80% by 2050.

This is widely expected to drive increased demand for biofuel bunkering in the shipping sector.

“We can use it as is in our existing fleet of ships operating in the Gulf of Finland to reduce our vessels' greenhouse gas emissions, thereby meeting the requirements of the FuelEU Maritime regulation, which came into effect at the beginning of the year,” Taru Keronen, CEO of Eckerö Line, said.