According to a 20-year agreement with the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centre) for Southwest Finland, the Finnish domestic ferry company will convert 12 crossings to electric operations.

Two brand-new e-ferries will be built, while the existing 12 will be refurbished and electrified. The partners expect this will cut the carbon footprint of the network in question by at least 90%.

Additionally, ferry load capacity will increase to 90 tonnes, eliminating weight restrictions for heavy vehicles.

The first upgraded ferries are set to begin service in late 2026, while by the summer of 2028 all 12 crossings will be served by the new fleet.

"This 20-year agreement covering 12 ferry sites in Lakeland Finland is a significant step toward carbon-neutral road ferry traffic. Ferry services will be produced more efficiently, sustainably, and cost-effectively. Within the transport sector, road ferry traffic is leading the way toward carbon neutrality while improving service for road users. Our long-term goal is to achieve carbon-neutral road ferry traffic by 2035, which we promote through our procurements and agreements. The transport objective is to provide flexible and cost-effective service delivery that takes into account regional mobility and transport needs," commented Tapani Jaakkola, Road Engineer at the ELY Centre for Southwest Finland.

To this Håkan Fagerström, CEO of Finferries, added, "We are very pleased to introduce environmentally friendly equipment to Lakeland Finland, supporting our strategic vision to be a pioneer in emission-free water transport. This is a major step in the ecological development of road ferry traffic, where we also consider biodiversity alongside emission reduction."