The new route connects two countries and two ports and also offers much more by building a floating bridge between whole regions in both countries. The last departure from Varberg to Grenaa will be on 31 January. The new ferry route is connecting Halmstad and Grenaa but the vision is to connect the whole Kattegat Region. In Denmark this includes the large logistics area around Taulov. In Sweden Halmstad with surroundings is a strong destination for visitors and an important freight gateway to both the south and central parts of Sweden.
This new service will offer many advantages compared to the alternatives including resting times, shorter driving distance and lower CO emissions. A study produced by the Swedish Environmental Research Institute IVL calculates and compares both the carbon dioxide (CO2) performance and the driving distance. We are happy to say we come out on the bright side in all our comparisons we did for vehicles moving cargo between Denmark and central parts of Sweden. The distance is always shorter if using the ferry and the CO2 emissions in total is in general lower using the ferry link, based on our existing service.
Looking forward we see a great potential to improve and as an example a round trip route from Herning (Denmark) to and from Växjö (Sweden) shows that the there is a potential to lower the CO2 emissions with more than 20 % using the ferry. This means if we transport 50 trailers on that route the total CO emissions is 9 tonnes lower than the same trailers using the bridges. Do not hesitate to contact us to discuss a more sustainable way of transporting goods.
It is not only the route that is going greener. In Halmstad the preparations are in full swing and before February a brand-new efficient terminal and check-in area is being built, with sustainable features such as solar panels and green electricity being installed from the start. All in line with Stena Line’s ambition to be a leader in sustainable shipping.
Before our vessel Stena Nautica sets course for Halmstad she will have a small makeover to enhance the onboard experience for our customers he will also get our AI assistant Stena Fuel Pilot installed. This Stena Line invented software based on AI technology supports our captains to reduce the fuel consumption and embodies our vision “Connecting Europe for a Sustainable Future”.