Berg Propulsion, a company specializing in marine propulsion systems, has unveiled the first propeller shafts made from climate-neutral steel.
Six of the shafts manufactured using the so-called “Greenforge” production process will be installed on Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) RoRo ships this year.
The process was developed by the steel company Björneborg Steel in Sweden. The heat required for production is generated using renewable energy sources, such as fossil-free biogas or biopropane. According to Berg Propulsion, this change reduces CO2 emissions from steel production by 95%. Additional measures should reduce the remaining emissions and thus ensure complete climate neutrality.
Berg Propulsion to install six propeller shafts in 2025
The six propeller shafts produced for LDA are expected to save 160 tons of CO2 compared to the conventional method. The world’s first of these climate-neutral propeller shafts for LDA will be delivered by Björneborg Steel to the Berg plant in Hönö, Sweden, in March. Five more will arrive by the end of June 2025.
“Berg is delighted to be working with Sweden’s cutting-edge steel industry and pioneering the use of Greenforge for marine applications,” said Berg operations manager Kajsa de Mello. “We are proud to be the first supplier in the world to offer customers propeller shafts using this process. It therefore stands to reason that low-emission ships will be the first application in maritime transportation.”
The propeller shafts will be installed in LDA’s new RoRo vessels. The company is also focusing on wind energy: three RoRo ships, which will transport aircraft parts across the Atlantic from 2026, have been equipped with modern sails. The technology for energy management and control also comes from Berg.
Green steel cheaper than conventional processes by 2030
The switch to “green steel” is part of the EU’s “Clean Industry Deal”. It includes measures to promote renewable energies, the removal of barriers to investment in clean technologies as well as subsidies and tax breaks to reduce CO2 emissions. In addition, penalties will be introduced for CO2 emissions in industry, which, according to Berg, will improve the competitiveness of a process such as “Greenforge”. CO2 emissions rights will be withdrawn from EU steel producers, meaning that they will either have to switch to climate-neutral processes or face increased production costs. Björneborg Steel predicts that emission-free processes will be cheaper than conventional processes by 2030.
“The sustainability case for carbon-neutral steel is compelling,” continues de Mello. “Although it is currently in the premium segment, its use offers marine equipment buyers a way to circumvent the rising cost of fossil fuels. Berg is proud to lead where others must follow.”
Håkan Dedorsson, CEO of Björneborg Steel, said: “As in other industries, there are leading sustainability companies and stakeholders in the shipping industry who are open to the innovations needed to meet the challenges ahead. We are increasing production based on the state-of-the-art Greenforge process, depending on the availability of biogases, and look forward to supporting Berg’s customers in making the environmentally friendly choice that will also benefit future generations.”
