Finnish Maritime Cluster Yearbook 2020 -2021

Aid crucial in
pandemic survival
One lesson learned from Covid-19 has been
asking for help, says Björn Blomqvist,
Managing Director of Rederi AB Eckerö.
TEXT TOMI KANGASNIEMI
be feasible. Longer routes require non-fossile combustion
fuel solution. Hydrogen fuel is one alternative
but Blomqvist wishes for more conventional
combustion fuel.
He notes that liquid fuels have many advantages
and some kind of synthesized combustion fuel solution
could be the thing. That would be easier to use
by modifying current engines and also less challenging
to scale up for wider use.
”We are very interested in battery technology and
also looking at Power-to-X. It is challenging as we
haven’t got enough capacity to product bio-fuel. We
will also need solar, wind and probably nuclear energy
to supply the amount of electricity needed to produce
the synthesized climate neutral combustion fuels.”
Blomqvist doesn’t think that demands for environmentally
conscious solutions in transport are too
strict. However, regulations could be more straightforward.
He says that on detailed and regional level you
have to be very careful with regulations as they can be
counterproductive when it comes to competitiveness.
He also points out one oddity. Eckerö has a small
bus company that runs local buses. Now EU demands
that 20 percent of company’s buses have to
be electric.
”Why EU chooses the form of energy? Why don’t
they just demand it has to be carboneutral? That is
frustrating.”
Priority in survival
Now we are in the midst of second wave of pandemic.
It seems to hit at least as hard as the first
one and restrictions for travelling will make it
tough for passenger ferry companies.
”Now our priority is to survive. It’s very challenging
situation and we are depending on state
aid. So far we’ve managed to handle it with 15
millions of extra funding, says Blomqvist.”
He notes that on third quarter Eckerö made
very small profit but the last quarter of the year
goes below zero. As whole 2020 will be the year
of heavy losses.
”We will have to keep moving but next year
will also mean low-cost culture. When pandemic
will be over, we can go planning ahead.”
Blomqvist remarks that although pandemic
has been harsh something good can come out of
it. Company has received different kinds of support
and it has been able to postpone payments
of government fees and tax. Blomqvist also adds
that trade unions have been very cooperative
during the crisis.
”In these times of crisis we’ve seen that when
you ask for help, people are prepared to help.
Maybe we ask that too rarely. Maybe learning
this is the one good thing coming out of this pandemic.”
✖
Economically Eckerö
Shipping’s situation
has been good compared
to company’s
passenger ferry operations,
says Björn
Blomqvist. For the
three ro-ro’s operated
by Eckerö Shipping
the pandemic has
mostly caused challenging
crew changes
– especially concerning
non-EU crew
members.
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