ESL Shipping completes 12 vessel hybrid coaster programme with Luxomar delivery

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ESL Shipping has taken delivery of Luxomar, completing its 12 vessel Green Coaster investment programme and adding the final 5,400 dwt plug in hybrid vessel to its fleet.

The vessel was handed over on September 8 and is expected to begin its maiden voyage from India to Europe shortly. Its delivery closes one of the largest fleet renewal and expansion programmes undertaken by the Baltic dry bulk carrier.

The Green Coasters were built by Chowgule and Company and are designed primarily for operations in Northern European waters, where ESL Shipping transports industrial raw materials and other dry bulk cargoes.

The 12 vessels combine battery hybrid propulsion technology with shore power connectivity and an optimised hull and machinery design. The configuration is intended to reduce fuel consumption and emissions while allowing vessels to conduct silent and emission free operations in port when suitable shore power infrastructure is available.

Each vessel also carries Ice Class 1A, allowing operations throughout the year in the Northern Baltic Sea, where winter ice conditions can restrict vessels without sufficient ice strengthening.

For cargo owners, the investment represents a practical shift in how emissions can be reduced on short sea and regional bulk trades. Rather than relying on a single technology, the vessels combine batteries, shore electricity and improved energy efficiency within conventional commercial operations.

“The delivery of Luxomar marks the successful completion of a strategic investment programme that strengthens ESL Shipping’s competitiveness and supports future growth,” Managing Director Mikki Koskinen said.

The programme has substantially renewed ESL Shipping’s coaster capacity over the past several years.

Frida Rowland, SVP Business Unit Coasters at ESL Shipping, said the vessels had already demonstrated their capabilities in commercial service.

“Over the past few years, we have transformed our coaster fleet with twelve modern hybrid vessels that enhance our ability to serve customers in our core markets,” Rowland said. “The vessels have delivered excellent performance in daily operations and fully met our expectations.”

The final delivery also completes a significant construction programme for the Indian shipyard.

Arjun Chowgule, Managing Director of Chowgule and Company, said the series had been developed for the demanding operating conditions found in Northern Europe.

The completion of the Green Coaster series does not mark the end of ESL Shipping’s fleet investment.

The carrier is also progressing its Green Handy investment programme, which together with the new coaster fleet is intended to increase operational efficiency and expand lower emission marine logistics capacity in Northern Europe.

The investments come as industrial cargo owners increasingly examine the emissions generated across their transport chains, putting greater attention on vessel efficiency and the availability of shore power and lower emission propulsion technologies.

ESL Shipping, a subsidiary of Aspo Plc, operates around 40 vessels ranging from approximately 4,000 to 25,000 dwt. Its core business is the transportation of dry bulk cargoes for industrial and energy customers, particularly in the Baltic region.