The international Sustainable Seas 2011 event, hosted by Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria, was held from September 12 to 19, beginning in Stockholm, Sweden and ending in Turku, Finland. Wärtsilä, together with a large group of environmental experts, researchers, and government officials, participated in discussing the future of the Baltic Sea.
Wärtsilä's message to the forum was that its scrubbers and other environmental products and services already enable the transition to more sustainable shipping in the Baltic Sea, as well as elsewhere in the world.
The venue for the event was appropriate in that the Baltic Sea is one of the most polluted seas in the world, a prime reason for it becoming the first Sulphur Emission Control Area (SECA) established in 2006. Sulphur oxide is one of the emissions caused by shipping due to the use of sulphur containing fuels. Once released to the atmosphere it creates acid rain which may damage crops and buildings. For these reasons, the International Maritime Organization has agreed to sharply cut the permitted emission levels by 2015.
“In reducing sulphur oxide emissions, exhaust gas scrubbing is a cost effective alternative to low sulphur content fuels. Wärtsilä has developed a feasible and effective scrubber solution, both for new installations and as a retrofit to existing ships, and the first commercial installation has already been sold to Containerships,” says Britt-Mari Kullas-Nyman from Wärtsilä’s Environmental Services. “Promoting the use of scrubbers is also an important element in our commitment to the Baltic Sea Action Group.”
In addition to scrubbers, Wärtsilä also offers a wide portfolio of environmental products and services, ranging from ballast water treatment to oily water separators.
The Baltic Sea Action Group operates throughout the entire Baltic Sea area. It is an independent foundation that takes concrete actions to improve the condition of the Baltic Sea.
The Sustainable Seas 2011 event attracted industry, researchers and organizations to promote sustainable solutions that help protect the sea. Scholars from the University of Stockholm, government officials, environmental experts from WWF, the Baltic Sea Action Group and Baltic Sea 2020, as well as experts from Wärtsilä and Cargotec discussed the future of the Baltic Sea. The seminar was organised under the protection of, and with support from, HRH Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden.
Press release of the Containerships scrubber order.
Photos: Per Björkdal / Briggen Tre Kronor
