Green Lane – A bold step toward low-emission sea transport

Finnlines is taking the green transition in sea transportation to the next level with its Green Lane service. Officially introduced on 22 May 2025, this low-emission transport service gives both freight customers and passengers a concrete way to reduce their carbon footprint and support the global green transition.

Over the past two decades, Finnlines has ordered or acquired a total of twenty vessels and made investments worth nearly two billion euros. The company has been providing economically and environmentally sustainable services for decades.

“With its investments, the company has aimed to continuously improve the environmental and economic sustainability of its services,” says Merja Kallio-Mannila, Commercial Director at Finnlines.

By using electric energy and certified biofuels, Green Lane can lower customer’s transport-related emissions – 100% with electric energy (TTW) and by up to 90% with biofuels (WTW).

“With the introduction of our new vessels, we have entered the hybrid era,” says Antonio Raimo, Line Manager at Finnlines. “Even with increased cargo capacity on the Naantali–Kapellskär route, we have cut absolute CO2 emissions per nautical mile by 22%. The Green Lane marks the next step forward, and we believe demand for services like this will continue to grow.”

Two pathways to lower emissions: electricity and biofuels

The Green Lane service introduces two alternative fuel options tailored to meet the diverse needs of both freight customers and private travellers.

The electric option is currently available on the busy Naantali–Kapellskär line, which is operated by Finnlines’ newest hybridro-pax vessels, Finnsirius and Finncanopus. These vessels are equipped with 5 MWh batteries, which are charged using onshore electricity while the ships are at berth. Once at sea, the battery power replaces fossil fuels, enabling green transportation for some freight units.

For other routes, Finnlines offers the biofuel-based Green Lane option. The company commits to replacing the fossil fuels needed for the shipment with FAME or HVO biofuels, both produced from waste-based fats such as used cooking oil. Certified according to EU sustainability standards, these fuels can reduce lifecycle emissions by up to 90%. Fossil fuels are being replaced with sustainable alternatives across the Group’s fleet within the same calendar year.

What the Green Lane service means for customers

For companies, the Green Lane offers a strategic solution to meet Scope 3 emission targets, an increasingly important part of corporate sustainability strategies. By switching to lower-emission freight, companies can strengthen their environmental performance and bring greener products to market.

“We want to offer our customers concrete solutions to help them achieve their decarbonisation targets. For example, using biofuel on the Hanko–Gdynia line can cut WTW CO2eq emissions by up to 816 kg per trailer,” Merja highlights.

Private passengers also benefit

Selecting Green Lane during booking allows passengers to support greener shipping and reduce their personal carbon footprint.

The next chapter in progress – methanol-powered vessels

Green Lane provides a practical approach to reducing emissions with current technologies onboard. But Finnlines continues to push boundaries. As part of its fleet renewal programme, the company has announced plans to deploy three methanol-powered ro-pax vessels on the Helsinki–Travemünde line by 2028–2029. The new vessels have the potential to enable fossil-free transport in the future.

Through substantial investments in new vessels, Finnlines is contributing to the broader development of more sustainable sea transportation.

“Reducing emissions is our top priority, and we are making real progress,” Antonio concludes.

Comparing estimated emission reductions from fossil fuels and biofuels

	Fossil fuel WTW emissions kg CO2eq/Cargo ton	Biofuel WTW emissions kg CO2eq/Cargo ton
Helsinki–Travemünde, Ro-pax	87	9
Malmö–Travemünde, Ro-pax	25	2
Malmö–Świnoujście, Ro-pax	30	3
Naantali–Kapellskär, Ro-pax	18	2
Hanko–Gdynia, Ro-ro	38	4

TTW = Tank-to-Wake emissions, ship’s exhaust only
WTW = Well-to-Wake emissions, full fuel life cycle and ship’s exhaust