Port of Klaipėda steps into green shipping era

On September 16, 2024, Eco Umande, a containership powered by green methanol, docked at Lithuania’s Klaipėda Port, marking the beginning of a new era in sustainable shipping in Europe.

The X-Press Feeders’ vessel will visit the port every second week as part of an agreement between the Singaporean independent common carrier and six European ports to accelerate the creation of green shipping corridors and decarbonize the marine sector in Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea.

“Today, the Port of Klaipėda marks an important historical moment – the arrival of Eco Umande, the first green methanol-powered vessel that will regularly operate in the port. This event not only symbolizes the beginning of a new era of sustainable shipping at the Port of Klaipėda but also integrates Lithuania into the international network of green shipping routes. It is a great recognition of our efforts to achieve environmental goals and proof that we are among the most advanced ports in Europe. Alongside ports like Rotterdam and Antwerp, we are contributing to the development of a sustainable maritime shipping industry,” Algis Latakas, CEO of the Port of Klaipėda Authority, pointed out.

Specifically, the feeder vessel is deployed in the Green Baltic X-Press (GBX) service which commenced operations on August 23, 2024, offering services between the ports of Rotterdam, Antwerp-Bruges, Klaipeda and Riga.

Completed by New Dayang Shipbuilding earlier this year, the ship recently underwent a methanol retrofit at PaxOcean’s Zhoushan yard. Eco Umande is the third dual-fuel ship in X-Press Feeders’ fleet, joining Eco Maestro and Eco Levant.

The green methanol-powered vessel Eco Umande, which will transport containers to and from the Klaipėda Container Terminal, is 148 meters long and has a nominal capacity of 1,260 TEU.

The second green shipping service, the Green Finland X-Press (GFX), was launched in July this year.

X-Press Feeders operates more than 100 vessels, ranging in capacity from 700 to 7,000 TEUs. In its commitment to sustainability, the company has acquired 14 dual-fuel vessels capable of operating on green methanol, with three currently in operation, including Eco Umande. The remaining vessels are scheduled for delivery by 2026.

“At X-Press Feeders, we are committed to advancing sustainable shipping practices. The arrival of the Eco Umande, our green methanol-powered vessel, at the Port of Klaipėda marks a significant milestone not only for our company but also for the shipping industry as a whole. This initiative aligns with our commitment to reducing carbon emissions and fostering environmentally friendly operations across global shipping routes. By partnering with forward-thinking ports like Klaipėda, we are taking concrete steps toward a more sustainable shipping industry throughout Europe,” Francis Goh, COO, X-Press Feeders, said.

“We are pleased that this year, large cargo ships powered by LNG are increasingly arriving at our terminal, LNG bunkering operations have already been carried out, and today we are welcoming the green methanol-powered vessel Eco Umande. All of this proves that as a cargo terminal, we are responsibly prepared to serve not only regular vessels but also environmentally friendly vessels that actively contribute to environmental preservation,” Vaidotas Šileika, CEO of Klaipėda Container Terminal, commented.

In line with the aforementioned agreement, X-Press Feeders selected the Port of Rotterdam as the base for Europe’s first feeder network powered by green methanol because “Rotterdam is Europe’s largest port and is fully equipped to handle green methanol refueling”.

A green shipping corridor is a regular maritime transport route that places particular emphasis on reducing the environmental impact of shipping by using environmentally friendly fuels, such as green methanol, green hydrogen, or electricity, and implementing infrastructure and advanced technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, noise, and other harmful effects on the environment.