EU project to reduce emissions in the Baltic Sea

Ferries play a vital role in the archipelagos of the Central Baltic, where many islands are dependent on regular services. Meanwhile, these ferries have a significant climate impact. A collaboration between nine partners from Sweden, Åland, Finland and Estonia, the EU project REISFER is testing solutions that can make island ferry traffic more energy-efficient and sustainable.

The project encompasses 17 ferries and routes in four countries. The goal is to reduce emissions by 10–20 per cent. In Sweden, ferry operator Blidösundsbolaget is implementing measures in the Stockholm archipelago. Petra Stelling. senior analyst at the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI), is leading the evaluation of the results.

“It’s exciting to follow the process as a whole – from planning to implementation and follow-up. Having the opportunity to conduct trials to assess how the measures work in practice is particularly rewarding. By analysing energy consumption before and after the changes, we can produce tangible results and recommendations,” says Stelling.

One of the first measures to be implemented is electrification. At the time of writing, one ferry operating in the Stockholm archipelago is in dock being refitted with an electric motor and batteries. It is due to be back in operation by Midsummer. The project is also studying other ways to reduce energy consumption, such as more efficient ship handling behaviour, route planning and heating systems, as well surface treating hulls with blasting and specialist paint to reduce frictional resistance in the water.

The three-year project started in April 2024 and is already showing promising results. Analyses of ship handling styles indicate that economical handling can create significant energy savings.
“Our trials show that maintaining a lower speed can significantly reduce energy consumption. We also see considerable potential in optimising handling patterns. The next stage is to interview captains about their ship handling strategies in order to better understand the factors that influence their decisions,” says Stelling.

One important element of the REISFER project is the exchange of experiences between the participating countries. Researchers and representatives of the ferry operators and government agencies involved in the project share experiences and discuss new solutions at monthly e-meetings and annual conferences.

“It is inspiring to be able to share new perspectives from other countries. We have held one physical meeting and we will soon meet again to discuss the initial results. It is clear that a joint initiative is required to make ferry traffic in the Baltic Sea more sustainable,” Stelling concludes.
The project is financed by EU Interreg Central Baltic. Total funding is €3,760,969.

Translation: CBG