Sustainability

We continuously work on reducing our waste and take more responsibility, to become more environmental friendly.

All of our biowaste from the kitchen ends at the biogas facility in Helsingborg, where it is converted into biogas and biofertilizer. 

Did you know that 1kg food waste can make a gas car drive 1,3km?

We have focused on replacing all disposable items, so that they are made of recycled or bio-based material and we are approaching our goal of 100%. We expect to achieve the goal by the beginning of next year.

Did you know, that it is possible to make disposable items from corn starch and sugarcane?

For us, it is a matter of course that we take responsibility and not pump trash into the ocean. The so-called black-and grey waste water is transported ashore through the local authority drains, while the oil-containing water is sent to Stena Recycling for further handling. 

On November 9th 2018 the two ferries Aurora and Tycho Brahe began sailing on battery power.

Since the introduction of battery operation, we have managed to reduce the CO2-emission by staggering 25,000 tons! This means that all living beings ashore and beneath the keel can enjoy a peaceful environment without disruptive noise and disturbing vibrations.

The battery operation on Aurora and Tycho Brahe enables us to reduce our CO2-emission between Helsingør-Helsingborg by 65% per year. (compared to traditional propellants) - equivalent to 23,000 tons of CO2. 

Did you know that, a reduction of CO2-emission on 65% is approximately 23,000 tons? That is the same as 7,600 holidays to Thailand generates.(source) 

This makes us the world's first high-intensive battery-operated ferry route - just as fast, safe and punctual as always, but much more environmentally friendly for our beloved sound. Our battery operated ferries is a big step towards a more sustainable journey to become an even greener ferry route. We continue our work to find new solutions and become even more climate-smart. We don't settle for the destination of Helsingborg-Helsingør – we think about the future - for your sake, for the entire region, and for our environment.

Since January 1st 2019 all of our electricity have been green. This means that all the electricity that we purchase only comes from non-fossil fuels, such as water, wind and solar power.

Thanks to this change we are saving the environment for about 300 tons more CO2 than before. In addition to monitoring and controlling our energy sources, we are also working on reducing our energy needs. For this work, we have established two different groups consisting of employees from various departments. 

Did you know that 300 tons of CO2 corresponds to 100 round-trips to Thailand. 

The ECO-driving group is a assembling of nautical officers who work together on different strategies to find the most optimal and energy-intensive way to navigate the ships between Helsingborg and Helsingør. To assist this effort, a new energy measurement system was installed during the year, which has proven to be very effective. Since the implementation of the new measurement system, the ECO-driving group has been able to reduce the consumption by between 5-10%.

In addition to the ECO-driving group, we also have a team of technicians working on energy conservation initiatives. Their task is to find technical solutions to reduce the energy consumption. They have replaced lighting, frequency-controlled pumps, and installed induction stoves. From 2018 to 2019, we implemented measures that reduced the consumption by approximately 400,000 kWh. During 2020, we replaced the seawater pumps on Aurora, saving approximately 200 MWh/year. At the dock in Helsingør, all lighting has been replaced with LED, which is expected to result in savings of around 70 MWh/year.

Did you know... that 400,000 kWh is equivalent to approximately half of the total land consumption in Helsingør?

Food has a significant impact on our environment, making it a crucial aspect of our sustainability efforts.

In kitchens, cafeterias and restaurants there is a strong focus on becoming more climate-smart. We primally use locally sourced foods and continue on increasing the number of organically certified products. The chefs prepare climate-smarts meats and more vegetarian options, and the effort on reducing food waste is a natural move for us. 

In December 2019 we became the first shipping company to achieve MSC/ASC certification at all onboard dining establishments: café, restaurants and bars. In other words, we exclusively serve sustainable fish and certified seafood. 

Since December 2019, we have been the first shipping company in Denmark and Sweden to be MSC and ASC certified. We are also the first shipping company in the world to exclusively serve MSC and ASC labeled fish and seafood. 

Naturally we do not serve red- or yellow-classified fish. Which is also the reason why we do not serve eel at our Christmas lunch. The proportion of MSC and ASC certified fish is currently at 100% since December 2019. Every year we serve about 26 tons of fish and seafood on board our ferries. It may sound like a small effort, but it makes a significant difference for the ocean and the environment, when considering how many people we serve each year. It should be simple for our guests to make the right choice!

The Sea Journey (Havsresan)

One of our long-term goals is to contribute to UN's Sustainable Development Goals number 14, which aims for sustainable oceans. We have participated in the project "Havsresan".

The Sea Journey (Havsresan) takes place every year at different places in Sweden and lasts about a week. Divers from across the country gather to investigate in the state of our oceans and lakes. In 2019 it was hosted by Helsingborg's Sports Diving Club and the city of Helsingborg, and naturally we participated and contributed to the project. 

It is not just about our ferries when we work towards a better environment. We also help to create a better environment for us humans. We take social responsibility both in our local community and at our different production locations. Read more about some of our projects.

Seabin

In November 2018 we were honored with the prestigious award 'Helsingborg Stads Miljöpris'. We chose to reinvest the money in the environment and Helsingborg by installing a Seabin in Helsingborg harbor. 2 years later in 2020 we installed one more but on the other side in Helsingør. 

A Seabin is a kind of trash can where the opening is placed at the surface of the sea. The structure is attached to the dock and has a small pump at the bottom that draws the seawater though the opening. Trash in a size from 2mm to 30cm fits into the Seabin and it can in total hold 20 liters of trash. At the moment the Seabin is placed by Pub Ro i the northern part of the harbor and is emptied daily by Helsingborg Yacht Club. 

For many years the ocean has been used as a dumping ground, and the consequences are devastating. With our Seabin we wish to 'clean up' and remove a small part of all the trash floating around, and at the same time we create engagement and knowledge among the public.

The effort towards a 'greener' sea is in full swing.

Our wine concept, Selected Wines consists of carefully chosen wines where quality, sustainability and social responsibility have been in consideration. With this concept we contribute to a charity organization in South Africa, that is focused on children. 

Sustainability is not just about the environment but also about social responsibility, and we have chosen to support the charity organization Starting Chance. The organization has its focus on kindergarten children in some of the most vulnerable areas in Cape town. Starting Chance gives children the opportunity to be in a secure and safe environment in their everyday to prepare them for school. We wish to take responsibility that extends beyond the sale of wine, and contribute an amount to Starting Chance for every sold wine bottle. 

In the period from July 2019 to June 2020 we donated about 11,300 EUR to Starting Chance.

On ORESUNDSLINJEN's behalf, divers have done various investigations. One of the studies had the intention to determine whether reinforcing the quay in Helsingør with large boulders instead of smooth surfaces has been beneficial for marine life. The result showed that, the choice of boulders was very successful in creating a rich and healthy animal- and plant life. 

The divers also made measurements of the submarine sounds from our ferries to assess if the noise underwater became reduced with batter operation. This study also showed a positive result, and therefore it is not only people on land that can enjoy our quiet ferries, but also below the surface where it has become calmer and less noisy. 

Read our Sustainability Report in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 6 of the Swedish ÅRL (Annual Reports Act).

Read our environmental policy.