Nordic energy company Gasum wants to determine the volume of wastewater that is legally discharged into the Baltic Sea and to study the potential to use it in biogas production.
To achieve this, Gasum will commit to receive the ship-generated wastewater and biowaste as a feedstock for biogas. When liquified, biogas is a renewable, low-emission fuel suitable for use in maritime transport.
Additionally, the process generates recycled nutrients that can replace synthetic and virgin nutrient products in agriculture and industry. Both the production of biogas and the recovery and commercialization of nutrients support security of supply and reduce dependence on imported raw materials. Moreover, Gasum commits to leading the industry to strengthen the circular economy with regard to ship-generated wastes.
“Gasum is a Nordic energy company and a strong circular economy actor. For us, the Ship Waste Action is a great opportunity to promote circular economy solutions and to work for the good of the Baltic Sea. Cooperation with other actors is important to discharge ship-generated waste into a port from where it can be recovered for use. Besides renewable energy production, we want to promote the agricultural use of recycled nutrients created in the biogas process. We are using carbon footprints to assess the climate impacts of nutrient products in the project,” says Elina Saarivuori, Sustainability Manager, Gasum.
“Whereas our priority is to get wastewaters generated by cargo ships discharged on land instead of into the Baltic Sea, that is just the first step. Since the very beginning of the Ship Waste Action, it has been important to us to find a use for wastewaters in the circular economy. Producing biogas from wastewaters is an excellent solution as far as the Baltic Sea is concerned,” commends Elisa Mikkolainen, Project Director at Baltic Sea Action Group.
Ship Waste Action is a cooperation focusing on cargo ship sewage used for circular economy purposes. Partners in the project include the Port of HaminaKotka, Kymen Vesi wastewater treatment plant, Autoyhtymä Vuorinen, shipping companies Meriaura and RABN, Essberger & Stolt Tankers, Utkilen and Maersk, as well as shipbrokers C&C Port Agency, Dahlberg’s Agency and GAC Finland. Operations are currently ongoing in Rauma port and being expanded to other ports also.
