Stena Line has launched the world’s first methanol-powered ferry Stena Germanica, which complies with stricter regulations for minimising emissions.
With this new environmentally friendly Ro-pax ferry, Stena Line has resumed its service on the route from Kiel in Germany to Gothenburg in Sweden, across the Baltic Sea.
Stena Line managing director Carl-Johan Hagman said: "We are very enthusiastic about methanol’s possibilities and it has the potential to be the maritime fuel of the future.
"We want to pursue change and development in the shipping sector and, with the Stena Germanica, our environmental impact will be completely different to what the industry has seen before."
The use of methanol as the main fuel will help Stena Germanica reduce the emissions of sulphur (99%), nitrogen (60%), particles (95%) and carbon dioxide (25%). It will also provide simpler transportation and storage, as the fuel is liquid at room temperature.
The €22m fuel conversion of the vessel was carried out at the Remontova shipyard in Gdansk, Poland. The classification society Lloyd’s Register and ship designer ScandiNaos were also involved in the project.
Stena Line collaborated with Wärtsilä, the Port of Gothenburg, the Port of Kiel and Methanex Corporation to realise the project.
Previously named Stena Hollandica, the ferry was built by Astilleros Españoles and started operating on the Holland-Harwich route in 2001.
Meanwhile, based on the results of this vessel, the operator is planning to convert 25 more vessels in its fleet to run on methanol.
Image: Methanol-powered Stena Germanica ferry will reduce sulphur and particle emissions by upto 99%. Photo: courtesy of Cision.
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