ESL Shipping Christens New LNG-Powered Bulk Carrier Newbuild

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Thursday June 29, 2017

ESL Shipping Ltd (ESL Shipping) Wednesday announced that its newbuild 26,000 DWT liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered dry cargo vessel was christened Viikki at a ceremony at the Jinling shipyard in Nanjing, China.

"We are proud to reduce the carbon footprint of our shipping company with these innovative vessels. These new vessels are a significant step towards even greener shipping," said Aki Ojanen, CEO of Aspo Plc (Aspo) and chairman of the Board of Directors of ESL Shipping.

ESL Shipping says the 160 metre vessel is produces over 50 percent lower carbon dioxide emissions than vessels of the previous generation.

Viikki is set to begin operation in the Baltic Sea during the first half of 2018, and will be followed by a sister vessel, which is currently under construction and is slated to be christened in September.

"Our new vessels are full of innovation, and they are pioneers in eco-friendliness and transportation efficiency," said Mikki Koskinen, Managing Director of ESL Shipping.

The newbuild vessels are part of a project under the Bothnia Bulk project, which is co-funded by the EU, and is intended to make the sea route between Luleå, Oxelösund, and Raahe more eco-friendly.

As Ship & Bunker reported in November, Aspo said its subsidiary ESL Shipping , through the EU's Connecting Europe Facility for Transport instrument, was set to receive as much as €5.9 million ($6.25 million) between 2016 and 2019 to support the construction of the company's newbuild LNG-fuelled Handysize dry bulk carriers.