On 21 December, the Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications granted EUR 28 million to Viking Line Abp and EUR 2 million to Gaiamare Ltd for vessel investments improving the level of environmental protection.
Payment of aid requires that the European Commission approves the aid scheme.
Viking Line has applied for the aid in order to build a passenger-car ferry. The vessel is to be delivered to the company in 2013. Gaiamare applied for the aid for a multi-purpose vessel which will be completed in 2012 and used in freight transport.
The projects receiving the aid are major environmental innovations. As its fuel, Viking Line's passenger vessel uses liquefied natural gas (LNG) and Gaiamare's freight vessel liquid bio oil. The Gaiamare vessel is also going to be equipped with an oil recovery system to respond to any accidents.
