The world’s first new LNG-fuelled tanker has been delivered in Rotterdam to Lloyd’s Register class, heralding the start of a new era of cleaner shipping for Europe’s local waterways.

The delivery of MT Argonon, a 6,100-dwt dual-fuelled chemical tanker, represents a significant milestone for the Deen Shipping subsidiary, Argonon Shipping B.V., in its pursuit of cleaner transport solutions for Europe. Lloyd’s Register helped the owners and regulators to identify their risks, meet regulatory requirements and overcome the technical challenges for the precedent-setting tanker.

“This has been a great project and it is a significant first,” said Piet Mast, Lloyd’s Register’s Marine Business Manager for Western Europe. “The nature of inland waterways traffic, which passes through or close to major population centres, makes LNG an attractive way to reduce harmful local emissions. We had to look carefully at the risks and worked closely with the owner and the regulators to ensure that they understood, and were comfortable with, the technical solutions that were developed.”

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source: Lloyds Register EMEA

Skangass and Statoil 5 October 2011 signed an agreement for the supply of LNG as fuel for the ship Bit Viking.

The agreement runs until 1 January 2014 with an option for a further 2.5 years. Bit Viking will be the first ship in the world, that is not a LNG Carrier, to bunker LNG directly via lastearm of an LNG plant.
Bit Viking is a product tanker, built in 2007. It goes into operation for Statoil along the Norwegian coast with light products like gasoline and diesel. Bit Viking is basically built for heavy oil operations, but was converted to dual-fuel equipment at Wärtsilä in September 2011. Then,  two LNG tanks were placed on the deck with a capacity of 1000 cubic meters.

source: nordiclng.com

Seoul: STX Offshore & Shipbuilding (STX O&S) and Korea Gas Corporation (Kogas) inked a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop a LNG bunkering facility.

The two South Korean companies are now conducting research to develop the LNG bunkering facility and a LNG-fueled ship.

STX O&S is also actively undertaking research in LNG-related fields, having already developed ultra-large containerships propelled by LNG and LNG FuSion, an LNG fuel supply system.

In the wake of rising environmental concerns, LNG is touted as an alternative clean fuel to replace the heavy bunker fuel.

source: seatrade-asia.com

Wärtsilä’s dual-fuel engines have exceeded 3 million running hours in both land-based and marine applications. This milestone represents a dual-fuel technology track record that cannot be matched by any other engine manufacturer.

“For the power plant business, Wärtsilä’s dual-fuel technology offers the perfect bridging solution for switching from liquid fuel to natural gas. The use of natural gas in power generation is rapidly increasing, but many locations are currently without a ready gas supply. Our dual-fuel technology enables customers in such areas to generate electricity, first with HFO and then to switch later to gas once it becomes available. Having now exceeded 3 million hours of reliable and efficient operation, there can be no doubt as to the effectiveness of this technology,” says Vesa Riihimäki, Group Vice President, Wärtsilä Power Plants.

“A transition to LNG fuel is one of the most realistic options for significantly reducing the environmental footprint in marine transportation. Carbon-based greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced by at least 15 percent, while sulphur and nitrogen oxide emissions are practically entirely eliminated. Dual-fuel technology is the spearhead of Wärtsilä’s engine portfolio, and is leading the marine sector towards a more sustainable future,” says Juhani Hupli, Vice President, Ship Power Technology, Wärtsilä Ship Power.

read more/source: wartsila.com

Rolls-Royce has signed a contract to deliver design and equipment for two new cargo vessels for Nor Lines AS, with an option for two more.
 

“Environmental Ship sets a new standard within the market for merchant vessels by providing significant reduction in emissions and an improved performance in waves. The concept combines the Rolls-Royce gas engines with our integrated rudder and propeller system, proms, and with these elements incorporated in our innovative hull design CO2 emissions can be reduced by more than 40 percent, says Oddbjørn Eliassen”, Rolls-Royce President – Merchant.

Natural gas is the future
“- We have had a fruitful collaboration with Rolls-Royce in the development of these tailor-made vessels, with a focus on energy efficiency and minimal emissions. Nor Lines, the owner and our DSD AS, has a strong belief that natural gas is the fuel of the future, especially within the coastal transport”, says Toralf Ekrheim, Managing Director, Nor Lines AS.

The multi-functional vessels will, among other things, transport fish from northern Norway to Europe, and return with vegetables to Norway. They are equipped with cooling and freezing on the deck, while the main deck is optimized for ro-ro cargo and dry goods. Top Deck is in addition to the large load area, equipped with garage in front to protect the cargo. On this deck there will be containers, trailers and general cargo. Through a side door there is access to all areas.

Environmentally friendly
“- We are pleased that we can realize this concept for the northern European trading activities, and contribute to achieve the political goals of more environmentally friendly transportation at sea and to facilitate the increased proportion of water transport along the Norwegian coast and to and from Norway”, says Ekrheim.

“- This order shows that our customers are willing to change course towards more environmentally friendly ship design and technology, and we are very proud to offer the total package of equipment, design and engineering for Nor Lines. This is an important contract not only for Rolls-Royce, but also across the maritime industry since the environmentally friendly vessel will be a key priority”, says Eliassen.

Nor Lines ships will be equipped with a Bergen B-series gas engine that can handle large and rapid load variations and is suitable for mechanical transmission of power to the propellers. Effective capacity in the gas tank is equivalent to ten-day operation (3500nm) at cruising speed, with three-day reserve as well, which is ideal for a route between Norway and Northern Europe. The ships will also possess Hybrid Shaft Generator (HSG) system that generates electricity for the ship with reduced fuel consumption and emissions.

The new “wave piercing” bow shape means that vessels can significantly improve performance at sea and less risk of damage to the hull plate in the bow. In addition, this bow-shaped is easier to build than conventional bow. The wave piercing concept can also be used on a number of other types of vessels, such as: passenger vessels, RoPax and ro-ro ships, chemical and product tankers, LNG / LPG tankers, bulk carriers, LNG bunker vessels and super yachts.

The vessels will be built by Tsuji Heavy Industries in Jiangsu, China, and will be ready for delivery in 2013 and 2014.

Contract for the first two boats have a value of NOK 135 million for Rolls-Royce.

source: maritime&energy.com

Supplies of low cost, low emissions LNG fuel will be made available to Wärtsilä natural gas powered vessel operators, and other customers by Shell. The Joint Cooperation Agreement will focus first on supplies from the US Gulf Coast, and then later expand their efforts to cover a broader geographical range.

Gas fuelled marine engines are seen as being a logical means for ship owners and operators to comply with increasingly stringent environmental legislation. This agreement aims at increasing and easing the availability of natural gas for marine engine use, as well as developing the supply chain and infrastructure to facilitate the bunkering of LNG fuel. The two companies will jointly move these developments to marine markets in order to enhance its rapid introduction and use.

Wärtsilä has been at the forefront in the development of dual-fuel engine technology, allowing the same engine to be operated on both gas and diesel fuel. This dual-fuel capability means that when running in gas mode, the environmental impact is minimized since nitrogen oxides (NOx) are reduced by some 85 percent compared to diesel operation, sulphur oxide (SOx) emissions are completely eliminated as gas contains no sulphur, and emissions of CO2 are also lowered. Natural gas has no residuals, and thus the production of particulates is practically non-existent.

In addition to the environmental benefits that LNG fuel offers, the shipping industry is increasingly looking to gas as a means of reducing operating costs. With fossil fuel prices, and especially the cost of low carbon marine fuel, likely to continue to escalate, gas is an obvious economic alternative. In promoting gas propulsion, the two companies aim at reducing client risk, thereby accelerating market demand.

“It’s an exciting time for the industry to have Shell, a major player, committed to increasing the availability of clean natural gas as a marine fuel. The marine community is becoming increasingly aware of the benefits provided by Wärtsilä natural gas engines as a means of reducing both costs and the environmental footprint. Natural gas engines represent a rare win-win, capturing emissions reduction and operational savings,” says Christoph Vitzthum, Group Vice President, Wärtsilä Services.

Drawing from decades of experience in the development and application of natural gas engines for both the power generation and marine industries, Wärtsilä is the global leader in this advanced technology. “Clean, safe natural gas represents a true shipping paradigm shift; years ago it was sail to steam, then came the move from steam to diesel, and now it’s a new era for gas propulsion,” says Jaakko Eskola, Group Vice President, Wärtsilä Ship Power.

“We are pleased to work with Wärtsilä to move forward with this significant step in introducing LNG-powered vessels into the US market, providing a clean, abundant and affordable fuel option,” said David Lawrence, Shell’s executive vice president Exploration and Commercial.

source: webwire.com

The 15,600 cubic metre LNG tanker will be used to decentrally supply Liquefied Natural Gas to energy intensive industries and LNG tank facilities in the North Sea and Baltic Sea.

“I am pleased that we can participate in realising such a future-oriented project” said Christian K. Murach, Member of the Management Board of KfW IPEX-Bank at the contract signing. “Here we are developing the environmentally-friendly ‘green’ shipping of the future. This makes not only ecologic, but also economic sense. Moreover, the completion in Rostock will contribute to supporting the shipyards in eastern Germany, in particular in a viable segment that has a long-term, promising future.”

source, full article: lngworldnews.com

“With the establishment of this terminal, Vopak and Nederlandse Gasunie - the initiators of Gate terminal -aim to play an importand role in develop the Dutch gas roundabout and achieve an important connection to the European network.”

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- We do not want to say too much about this yet. It is not clear that the boat will be built, although it is very important that we have been granted funding from the NOx Fund. Should there not anything, it will look strange if we say too much now, says general manager Andreas Kristoffer Hansen at Asbjørn Selsbane AS, the Coast Magazine, and continues;

- It is not yet clear whether we should sell the vessel Julianne, or whether we should build a new ship. These decisions are probably not taken until the autumn, explained Hansen.

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source: kystmagasinet.no