I sincerely hope you had a fantastic end of 2023, a much-needed & deserved break in between the years, and a smooth start to the rolling 12 months.
The first issue of 2024 may seem a bit husky, but that's because the latest round-up of Baltic transport highlights is probably the biggest we have produced thus far: 25 pages! That is a looong read if I ever saw one! The summary brings, first & foremost, a heavy chunk of all things green as the Baltic Sea region continues to pep its sustainability game.
The digest goes hand-in-hand with the Baltic Green Map we're working on, a snapshot of the various green developments already in place, 'under construction,' or in the pipeline throughout our beautiful & pioneering corner of the world. We have prepared a video that details what you can expect from our newest map. It also introduces the accompanying Baltic Green Map Catalogue, a publication that further specifies what can be found on the map under the various icons. And there's the other side of the Baltic Green Map: the Baltic Offshore Wind Energy Map that's peppered with the existing & planned wind power harvesting farms in the region.
Other than that, the 1/24 edition is, as always, packed with topical reads. 'Talking green,' the Sustainability column brings forth a project tasked with making the Port of Hirtshals not only a carbon capture & storage hub - but the biggest one in Europe! There are also pieces on collecting solar energy - but out there in the open sea! As well as articles on storing methanol on board vessels, the challenging particulars of decarbonising dry bulk carriers, and the Sustainable First Movers Initiative and its toolbox, which, I believe, can come in handy in the Baltic, too.
The Legal section goes in depth & breadth about port security, likewise analyses stern tube damages and unpacks the concerns with shipping lithium-rich minerals for the increasingly battery-hungrier global market. The Maritime column is very, very Baltic in its nature, though not without a twist here & there. While the article on the most recent developments in HaminaKotka keeps us within the region, Finnlines' other Superstar ferry will take you to the Indian Ocean, while Elomatic's piece to Canada.
And, naturally, I just couldn't end without mentioning what we cooked up for you in the Technology section. Starting with how artificial intelligence (AI) in shipping can decrease global emissions by 1% (yup, you read that right); through how AI, green shipping corridors, and digitalisation are redefining maritime operations; what are the dual benefits of digitalising the shipping business; ways of tackling the data scrapping menace; to how port operations can change thanks to digital identity verification.
With this, I wish you nothing but the most splendid reads and all the best in 2024 (these two go together, as I'm sure you already know perfectly)!
Oh, and don't forget that the BTJ Trip season is open - we'll be more than happy to visit your port to share what fascinating things are happening at your place with the other readers!
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