The new LNG-fueled bulk carrier Viikki, owned by ESL Shipping, a subsidiary of the Aspo, has started operating on the Baltic Sea.

The 25,600-dwt vessel, 160 meters long Viikki was built in China, and after completion first sailed to Japan to load a cargo of raw materials.

From there, the vessel arrived in the Baltic Sea through the Northeast Passage, which shortened the journey from Japan by three weeks and reduced the emissions of the journey by 40 percent compared with going through the Panama Canal, Aspo said in its statement.

Viikki features an LNG-fueled main engine, three auxiliary engines and the boiler.

The ship has been designed in accordance with the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) that rates the energy efficiency of newbuildings.

Both vessels, Vikki and its sister ship Haaga have been designed for intensive traffic with several port calls a week and cargo handling will often take place with the vessel’s own cranes.

This newbuilding project is part of the Bothnia Bulk project, partly funded by the EU. Its goal is to modernize the sea route between Luleå, Oxelösund and Raahe to be more eco-friendly.

The vessels have been designed by Deltamarin in Finland, and European equipment suppliers have provided roughly 60 percent of all vessel systems.