Stena Line reduces CO2 ten years ahead of emissions’ targets

Despite a tough situation for the ferry industry due to Covid-19, ferry shipping company Stena Line is continuing its sustainable journey. In a newly published sustainability overview, Stena Line presents initiatives, improvements and challenges within the sustainability area, as well as give account on the company’s ambitious sustainability targets.

During 2019, Stena Line reduced CO2 emissions and is now ten years ahead of the international shipping targets for reducing emissions. The company reduced the total CO2 emissions by 1.7%, corresponding to 24,000 tonnes of CO2 in total.

Stena Line continued to improve the efficiency and reduced the emissions per transported ton freight and passenger vehicles onboard the vessels by 3.6% CO2. This means that Stena Line, ten years ahead, already meets the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) targets for 2030 of a 40% reduction in CO2 emissions efficiency from 2008-2030.

“We aim to be the leader in sustainable shipping, and we have high ambitions. During the last ten years, we have improved the efficiency with more than 320 energy efficiency actions onboard and onshore, both technical and operational improvements and investments. The introduction of AI assisted vessels and the delivery of our first new larger and energy efficient vessels that went into operations on the Irish Sea during the spring, are some highlights from last year,” says Erik Lewenhaupt, Head of Sustainability at Stena Line.

The largest challenge for the shipping industry as a whole and for Stena Line is to reach zero emissions by 2050, in line with international targets.

“We are currently working in parallel with reducing fuel consumption and emissions to sea and air, and at the same time exploring and evaluating the fuels for the future. We are currently involved in several projects with alternative fuels and propulsion, including the world’s first methanol powered vessel and a battery project with the aim of launching a fully battery powered vessel before 2030,” says Lewenhaupt.