Marine public transportation system – with concern for the environment
The archipelago’s lifeline Waxholmsbolaget operates public transportation in the Stockholm archipelago and harbour. This means that our archipelago boats and Djurgården ferries depart every day all year round. Every morning we take children to school, deliver milk to archipelago stores, collect freshly baked bread from island bakeries and make sure that Mr. Johansson receives his morning paper. We–and our owner the Stockholm Regional County Council–would like to continue doing this in the future. That’s why we have been given a clear mandate: to run Waxholmsbolaget as a company dedicated to long-term sustainable development with particular focus on the sensitive archipelago environment.
BETTER FUEL
CLEANER AIR
REDUCED WASH
Long-term sustainable public transportation Waxholmsbolaget is one of the largest companies operating in Stockholm regional waters. We handle a total of over 4 million passengers and 7,000 tons of goods every year. Our network of services provides a vital link to the archipelago, helping preserve island communities and opening up the area to tourists and summer visitors. We take this responsibility very seriously. And with this responsibility comes a commitment to push forward our environmental programme. In the fifteen years since we began to focus on environmental issues we have been involved in the research and development of new technology, alternative fuel and driving techniques. Partly to improve our own operations, but also to inspire and put pressure on our suppliers and cooperating partners. There are three urgent issues that the shipping trade must now confront: how to reduce fossil fuel usage, how to reduce emissions and finally, how to minimize wash, which can cause damage to surroundings.
Waxholmsbolaget has been environmentally certified since 2003. During a follow up in 2007 we were pleased to receive the following praise: “Waxholmsbolaget’s environmental work is resulting in practical and concrete environmental improvements, partly through their internal environmental projects but also through the demands they set when procuring contracts with other shipping companies. Your demands don’t only affect the sub contractors that win contracts but also those who don’t”.
BETTER FUEL
Reduce fossil fuel use Today – class 1 environmental diesel
Minimal net addition of carbon dioxide
All our boats run on class 1 environmental diesel mixed with 5% rapeseed oil. We have also done trials with so-called synthetic diesel. This is manufactured by natural gas and was so compatible with our engines that it resulted in almost 100%, combustion, which means both cleaner exhaust fumes and less smoke.
Presently, diesel made from renewable raw m aterials is almost twice as expensive as fossil diesel. But manu facturing methods and opportunities to use different raw materials are in a constant state of development.
The trial continued for a year and proved that synthetic diesel works excellently as a fuel in our boats. But it was expensive and, in addition, a product of raw fossil fuels, materials that we are trying to stop using. The future – diesel made from renewable raw materials Since both ethanol and biogas are too explosive to use on a boat, fuel made from renewable raw materials is a scarce commodity in the shipping trade. To speed up development of sustainable alternatives we are actively cooperating with oil companies and engine manufacturers. Together we are testing and developing different types of fuel to find the best solution for the future. A fuel that is made from renewable raw materials and also suitable for use in boat engines.
That’s why we are optimistic that all our boats will eventually be able to operate on renewable diesel. As with all types of combustion, carbon dioxide is still emitted. But since diesel is manufactured from plants that bind carbon dioxide when they are culti vated, our net addition to the atmosphere is reduced by 70 – 80 %.
CLEANER AIR
Reduce emissions Modern engine technology reduces emissions As well as trying to find a suitable alternative fuel we are also working on upgrading engine technology. There are rigorous standards we must adhere to when restoring and building boats. We are striving to make combustion more efficient and get more mileage using new engines with electronic motor control and modern injection systems. New methods of cleaning exhaust gases We have installed catalytic converters in all our new boats. But we are also testing other treatment tech niques to minimize the amount of nitrogen, soot and particulates. Examples include selective catalytic cleaning and a new particle filter that has been specially developed for boats, such as EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) where some of the exhaust fumes are recombusted in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Economical driving saves time and money Smooth driving techniques reduce emissions and cut down petrol consumption, even at sea. That’s why in 2004, together with the Environmental Protection
Agency, we started a project known as “Economical driving at sea”. All our captains were involved and b oats were fitted with fuel data systems to monitor how fuel consumption was affected by driving technique, type of manoeuvres, cruising speed and acceleration. The results were unequivocal. Increased speed leads to increased fuel consumption–by three times the amount! By reducing top speeds and driving at a steadier pace we were able to reduce our fuel consumption by 10%. This means we can lower emissions and reduce breakdowns at the same time as reducing costs. In combination with our new navigation system, we have managed to streamline our timetables. With accurate information on how long it takes to cover a particular distance it is easier to adjust speed and arrive in time.
WASH REDUCTION
Our ships make smaller waves Economic driving and new trimming flaps Ships’ wash isn’t necessarily an environmental problem in the traditional sense. But it is a side effect of our operations that have an impact on the surroundings and therefore something we strive to minimize. One example is that the new economical driving tech nique, as well as reducing fuel consumption, also has a positive effect on wave formation. Since Spring 2007, we have been cooperating with The Royal Technical Institute and the company, Humphree, to develop so-called interceptors for boats. These are a kind of vertical trimming flaps that are mounted along the square stern, a few centimetres under the waterline. This helps increase pressure on the bottom of the hull, which raises the boat to more optimal level. Tests have recently been carried out on one of our fast boats with excellent results. The height of the wash decreased by 20%. In addition, fuel consumption was reduced by an extra 5 % at the same time as comfort on board was improved.
The plan now is to supply all our fast boats with GPS controlled interceptors. They will automatically adjust the boat’s position according to the speed so that the boat always sits at an optimal level in the water and also produces the smallest wash possible.
Foto: RIETZ/BALTIC SEA WATCH, christer Lundin, Åsa tällgård, nina tallec
Waxholms Ångfartygs AB, Box 7422, 103 91 Stockholm. www.waxholmsbolaget.se
