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Finnish firms Neste and Viking Line have entered into a partnership contract for the delivery of low-sulphur marine fuel in 2017. The contract covers Viking Line's Baltic Sea passenger ships.

Commenting on the news, Neste's CEO, Matti Lievonen, said: "We are very happy to start this cooperation with Viking Line, as they are a strong brand in the Northern Baltic Sea and a significant operator in the cruise industry. Viking Line's Baltic Sea passenger ships will begin using Neste low-sulphur marine fuel, and our cooperation will be supported by the launch of our distribution service in Sweden at the beginning of the year. We offer Viking Line a high-quality product that is compatible with the market, along with our strong logistics experience."

Viking Line CEO, Jan Hanses, remarked: "Neste's low-sulphur marine fuel suits us well. Working to preserve the Baltic Sea and its valuable archipelagos for the future generations is important to us. In addition to providing a high-quality product, Neste brings its valuable supply chain management expertise, and its reliable and fast deliveries. We also appreciate that using the new marine fuel does not require us to make many changes to our ships or commit to new investments."

Current EU and national regulations demand lower-sulphur emissions from ships operating in the Baltic Sea, North Sea and English Channel. Neste currently offers two low-sulphur marine fuels (Neste MDO DMB and Neste RMB), with sulphur concentrations of less than 0.1 percent.

Neste distributes its low-sulphur marine fuels from its terminals in Naantali and Kokkola. Fuel can be trucked to all Finnish ports, and ships are bunkered ex-pipe at the Porvoo and Naantali refinery harbours. The company has also time-chartered the M/T Lotus for bunkering in Helsinki.

Last month, Neste confirmed that it will begin supplying low-sulphur bunker fuel in Sweden from its Sodertalje terminal - located around 30 kilometres southwest of Stockholm - on 1st January 2017. The supply operation is to primarily serve the Stockholm area, but will also be able to distribute low-sulphur bunker fuel to other locations on the east coast of Sweden.

Neste confirmed last week that another passenger line operating in Finland, Estonia's AS Tallink Grupp, had agreed to continue its cooperation with Neste in 2017, which will see Neste supply low-sulphur marine fuel to Tallink Grupp's vessels calling at Finnish ports. The company's ferry business bunkers fuel in Helsinki and Turku.