Record battery retrofit drives Wasaline forward in Arctic green shipping

Finnish-Swedish ferry operator Wasaline has just pulled off the largest battery retrofit ever seen on a commercial vessel, on its flagship Aurora Botnia, bringing the Nordic region closer to net zero shipping.

“Expanding our battery capacity is a major step that allows us to make our vessel even more sustainable,” Peter Ståhlberg, Managing Director of Wasaline told Arctic Today. “It reduces our dependence on fossil fuels and strengthens our commitment to a carbon-neutral future.”

Path to carbon neutrality

From the outset, Wasaline designed the Aurora Botnia as a blueprint for future vessels. Launched in 2021 and built by Rauma Marine Constructions, the ferry runs on a combination of LNG, biogas, and battery power, which is unusual in an industry still dominated by fossil fuels.

The company’s long-term target is to achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2030, with each technological upgrade, including this latest battery expansion, bringing them closer to their goal.

With the new batteries, Wasaline expects to cut its fossil energy use by around 10,000 MWh per year. “If we reduce the need for energy, then the threshold for replacing our fossil fuels with renewable options becomes more manageable,” Ståhlberg explains. “That means we can gradually shift the balance towards sustainability without being prohibited by cost.”

Sustainable at sea

Wasaline isn’t only reshaping freight and passenger transport, it’s also rethinking business travel. With the launch of zero-emission conference cruises aboard the Aurora Botnia, the company now offers corporate clients a more climate-friendly alternative to land-based meetings or short-haul flights.

With additional support from green electricity at port, these sailings offer an almost carbon-neutral experience — with a per-passenger carbon footprint of just 25 kg CO₂ per conference guest. That’s a fraction of the emissions generated by flying or driving the same distance.

“Our clients are increasingly interested in sustainable alternatives for meetings and business trips,” says Niina Jansson, Wasaline’s Head of Sales and Business Development. “And the response to zero-emission meetings has been very positive, especially among Nordic and European firms looking to align travel with their overall sustainability goals.”

 Winter wonders

While summer remains peak season for Nordic cruises, Wasaline is seeing more international travellers — especially from Germany, Italy, and Switzerland – opting for winter sailings through the icy Kvarken Strait.

“Cruising through ice is often the highlight of the trip,” Jansson says, “helping turn the Kvarken Strait into a wintery destination in its own right, and giving travellers a taste of Arctic-like conditions without the need to venture further north.”

Future green corridors

Wasaline’s investments are setting the pace for what could become a green shipping corridor across the Kvarken Strait and beyond. The company is calling for greater policy support for biogas adoption and regional coordination to accelerate progress.

“Our vessel Aurora Botnia is like a floating laboratory,” says Ståhlberg. “And many other companies are of course interested in what we are doing.”

With the right backing from policy makers and industry peers, the company believes a carbon-neutral corridor could be achieved even before 2030.