Nordic energy company Gasum has kicked off test deliveries of liquefied biogas (LBG) for the Finnish Border Guard.
The deliveries aim to demonstrate the suitability of LBG as a fossil-free and 100 per cent renewable fuel to the needs of the maritime industry.
Gasum made the first delivery of domestically produced biogas from the Turku biogas plant to Helsinki on 1 April.
The next delivery will take place in the coming weeks with liquefied biogas imported from Risavika, in Norway, to Helsinki via Gasum’s terminal in Pori.
“Through these test deliveries we will expect to gain more experience on using biogas and to support further our efforts to reach the carbon neutrality goals Finland has set for 2035”, says commander Marko Aheristo , the Head of Ship Technical Unit at the Finnish Border Guard.
According to the current government program, Finland will be carbon-neutral by 2035. This means significant emission cuts are required in the transport sector on land and sea. By choosing biogas, it is possible to reduce the CO2 emission by up to 90 percent, making it the cleanest marine fuel available. LBG is also interchangeable with liquefied natural gas (LNG) which means that the two gases can be mixed and used in the same vessels.
“Gasum has supported the Finnish Border Guard’s LNG-fueled offshore patrol vessel Turva since the beginning of her operations, and now we are very happy to continue this journey with LBG-deliveries. Using biogas alongside with LNG in marine transport is a new step forward in decarbonizing the shipping industry and we are looking forward to completing more successful trials with biogas in the near future”, says Jacob Granqvist , vice president Maritime from Gasum.