OREANDA-NEWS. December 24, 2014. Neste Oil and AS Tallink Grupp have signed a partnership agreement according to which Neste Oil will supply low sulfur marine diesel oil to Tallink Grupp's ferries making port calls in Finland.

The marine diesel oil has less than 0.1 percent sulfur and thus fulfills the new EU Sulfur Directive requirements. Tallink Grupp's ferries will bunker the new fuel in Helsinki and in Turku.

"We are eager to partner with Tallink Grupp as it is a well-known brand in the Nordic countries and the Baltic States and a major player in the cruising industry. Tallink Grupp shares our vision of cleaner traffic fuels and our low sulfur marine fuel delivers clear environmental benefits." says Olli Vesamo, Director in Neste Oil's Direct Sales.

"This collaboration opens up new market potential for Neste Oil. We are already a major player in the Baltic Sea region on petroleum products used on land and in the air. The new EU Sulfur Directive with its stringent environmental requirements and our capability to produce cleaner traffic solutions now enables us to take foothold also in the marine sector," he continues.

"Neste Oil's marine fuel solution meets our needs. The environmental and technical quality of the product and the reliability of Neste Oil as a supplier, as well as Neste Oil's expertise in logistics convinced us of the benefits of this partnership. The new marine diesel oil will clearly reduce sulfur and particle emissions in our marine traffic.  Our customers will benefit a cleaner environment that we as the leading and preferred shipping company in the region can provide," says Mr. Tarvi-Carlos Tuulik, the Head of Ship Management of AS Tallink Grupp.

The new low sulfur marine diesel oil has been developed by Neste Oil to comply with the requirements of the EU Sulfur Directive, which will come into force at the beginning of 2015. Its goal is to reduce the sulfur emissions from marine traffic in Europe and in the SECA area (Sulfur Emission Control Area) that covers the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, and the English Channel. Neste Oil' solution is an interesting alternative for shipping companies, since its introduction will only require minor technical modifications in the ships.