Viikki, the new eco-friendly dry cargo vessel of Finnish dry bulk shipping company ESL Shipping, part of Aspo Plc, was launched on August 31 in China.

“The longstanding work in this project becomes concrete today when we see the vessel floating for the first time. There is still a lot of work ahead before its delivery, but I’m confident that we will get a superb vessel tailored to our needs,” Captain Jussi Vaahtikari said.

ESL Shipping informed that the 26,000 dwt Viikki is the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered handysize bulk carrier in the world and is a forerunner in energy efficiency and eco-friendliness. The 160-meter vessel produces more than 50 percent lower carbon dioxide emissions than vessels of the previous generation.

Constructed at the Jinling shipyard in Nanjing, the bulker was named at the yard in late June 2017. Viikki, the first of two vessels ordered from the shipyard, will start operating in the Baltic Sea during the first half of 2018, ESL earlier said.

Viikki’s sister vessel is expected to be christened in September.

Image Courtesy: ESL Shipping