By
Rebecca Gibson |
Scandinavian ferry operator Scandlines has joined the Trident Alliance to reinforce its commitment to meeting new sulphur regulations.
The Trident Alliance is a group of shipping companies that collaborate to enforce the new maritime sulphur regulations, which became mandatory on 1 January 2015. It has 32 members including some of the major shipping companies in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, Greece and Chile.
“I am glad to note that Scandlines, as a member of The Trident Alliance, had a clear plan long before 1 January 2015,” said Jensen. “We knew that with an ambitious strategy for our fleet, we would be ready to meet the new sulphur requirements.”
In 2013, Scandlines introduced the hybrid propulsion system on the route Puttgarden-Rødby and began to install gas exhaust cleaning systems – known as scrubbers – on its ferries, reducing their respective sulphur emissions by at least 90%. These investments were supported by €8.7 million by the European Union.
“The ferries are operated by a groundbreaking hybrid propulsion system, which combines traditional diesel power with electric battery power,” said Søren Poulsgaard Jensen, Scandlines’ CEO. “Scandlines is able to store excess energy in onboard batteries corresponding to the capacity of 600 hybrid cars.”
In addition, Scandlines has invested in two new vessels for the route Rostock-Gedser. Both ferries will be fitted with hybrid propulsion systems and scrubbers and are expected to enter service in the second half of 2015.