Finnish shipbuilder Meyer Turku has moved to the next stage of its sustainable shipbuilding journey by adopting central heating for ships under construction.
Finnish shipbuilder Meyer Turku has moved to the next stage of its sustainable shipbuilding journey by adopting central heating for ships under construction.
Traditionally, oil-burning stoves have been used for heating during colder months, but with the introduction of a water-based central heating system, significant reductions in emissions and costs have been achieved.
The transition to central heating was first explored in late 2023, leading to infrastructure upgrades that enabled the deployment of a movable water-based heating system aboard vessels.
Since its implementation in late autumn 2024, this system has replaced approximately 428 cubic meters of oil, cutting CO2 emissions by around 1,042 tons by early March 2025.
Beyond environmental benefits, this shift also brings substantial cost savings due to the higher efficiency and lower expense of district heating compared to oil-based solutions.
Looking ahead, Meyer Turku aims to expand this system throughout ships under construction, with a long-term goal of eliminating oil-based heating entirely.
“The best kind of energy is the one that we never use. In our sustainability works we want to focus on concrete actions, and I believe that this is a great example of that,”Hanna Haaksi, Meyer Turku Head of ESG, explained.
The shipbuilding company is also enhancing overall energy efficiency at the shipyard through several key initiatives such as compressed air optimization, LED and smart lighting solutions, production facility climate control, ventilation system upgrades and heat recovery enhancements.
Looking to the future, Meyer Turku said it is committed to continuous improvement in energy efficiency and sustainability. With advancing technology, the shipyard is embracing innovative solutions to further optimize energy use, reduce environmental impact and strengthen its position in the global shipbuilding market.
Back in 2022, Meyer Turku was faced with liquidity challenges caused by the war in Ukraine. To overcome these hurdles, the Finnish government injected €80 million into the yard to ensure the continuation of Meyer Turku’s activities.
That year, Meyer Turku also embarked on a project aiming to develop carbon-neutral and sustainable technological solutions for cruise ships through an extensive partnership network.
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Finland: New project aims to build climate-neutral cruise ship
The NEcOLEAP project brings together industry trailblazers to build a climate-neutral cruise ship. The goal is to secure the competitiveness of the Finnish shipbuilding infustry.
Under the NEcOLEAP project, Meyer Turku and Åbo Akademi University founded the Green Transition Lab (GT Lab), a research and development platform. The main goal of the GT Lab is to serve as an umbrella for various green transition projects and initiatives, providing a framework that supports and guides the industry towards a more sustainable future.
Meyer Turku aims to become a carbon-neutral shipyard by 2030. Reaching this ambitious goal requires a significant transformation across the entire maritime sector, not only through new technologies but also through systemic changes in the working and production processes.
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