On 18 September, with the arrival of X-Press Feeders’ ship ECO UMANDE, the world’s largest independent container shipping company, the first green freight route from the Port of Riga has been ceremoniously launched — the Green Baltic X-PRESS (Rotterdam – Antwerp – Klaipeda – Riga – Rotterdam), where only green methanol-powered container ships will be used.

The arrival of ECO UMANDE at the Port of Riga and the opening of the green route continues the memorandum of understanding signed this April by the Riga Freeport Authority, along with five other European ports in Hamburg, with Singapore’s container shipping line X-Press Feeders, for the creation of environmentally friendly shipping corridors and the decarbonization of maritime transport in Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea.

“We are pleased and honored to welcome the first green methanol-powered container ship at the Port of Riga. By joining X-Press Feeders and other European ports in establishing green shipping corridors, we are enhancing the efficiency, safety, and sustainability of the Port of Riga. At the same time, we are meeting our clients’ growing demands for more environmentally friendly transport solutions, ensuring the port’s attractiveness for new freight routes and investment projects,” said Sandis Šteins, Chairman of the Board of the Riga Freeport Authority, at the green freight route’s opening.

The creation of the first green shipping route is not only a significant step towards sustainable shipping and industry decarbonization, but it also promotes the adoption of alternative energy sources and the introduction of green technologies in Latvia. “The arrival of ECO UMANDE at the Port of Riga symbolizes our commitment to building a greener future. We are ready to be leaders in Baltic shipping by introducing solutions that reduce emissions and promote sustainable development in our region. This ship is proof that Latvia can be a driving force for innovation, creating new opportunities for our ports and the region’s economy,” emphasized the Minister of Transport, Kaspars Briškens, today.

Meanwhile, Francis Goh, COO of X-Press Feeders, commented on the entry of the methanol-powered vessel into the Port of Riga as follows: “The arrival of ECO UMANDE at the Port of Riga demonstrates our firm commitment to reducing emissions and promoting the widespread use of methanol in ship operations. This ship is part of our company’s comprehensive strategy to promote sustainable shipping. By working with strategically-minded partners like the Port of Riga, we can implement green solutions on a large scale and pave the way for more efficient and environmentally friendly shipping on the world’s oceans.”

X-Press Feeders is the largest independent feeder carrier in the world, operating in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, and Europe. X-Press Feeders manages a fleet of more than 100 ships that call at more than 180 ports worldwide. X-Press Feeders aims to achieve zero emissions by 2050 and become the greenest maritime container carrier.

The ECO UMANDE ship was built in China at the New Dayang Shipyard. It has a capacity of 1,260 TEU containers and a length of 148 meters. The ship is equipped with dual-fuel engines that can run on conventional fuel or green methanol, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 65%. ECO UMANDE is one of the first four dual-fuel vessels operated by X-Press Feeders in Europe, providing the region’s first feeder shipping network powered by green methanol.