Gasum and partners launch Finland–Sweden green steel corridor

Finland’s state-owned energy firm Gasum claims to have launched a green freight corridor using bio-LNG to transport steel coils from Finland to Sweden.

IMAGE: Viking Lines' dual-fuel vessel Viking Grace. Gasum

Other project partners include Stockholm-based steel company SSAB, Finnish transportation company Ahola Transport and compatriot shipping firm Viking Line, Gasum said.

The heavy steel coils made at SSAB’s Hämeenlinna plant have been transported from Finland to Sweden using biogas since September 2024, Gasum said.

The steel products were first transported by truck from Hämeenlinna to the Port of Turku, followed by a ship transfer from Turku to Stockholm and again by truck to customers in Sweden.

“This is the so-called green freight corridor – which is the first to be powered by biogas from start to finish,” Gasum said. SSAB’s steel products mainly cater to the automotive and construction industries.

Viking Lines’ dual-fuel vessels Viking Grace and Viking Glory carry the steel products from Turku to Stockholm on which cargo customers can choose biogas as fuel.

Bio-LNG, also known as liquefied biomethane (LBM), consists of approximately 99.8% methane. This composition allows LBM to function as a drop-in fuel for LNG, much like biofuels can be blended with MGO or VLSFO.

Vessels capable of running on LNG do not require modifications to operate on pure LBM or bio-LNG blends.

By Aparupa Mazumder

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