Finnish design and engineering company Wärtsilä and Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy industries[ds_preview] (SHI) have signed a co-operation agreement to develop gas-fuelled merchant vessels. The intention is to jointly develop next-generation ships with efficient and competitive propulsion machinery concepts that meet or exceed the demands of future environmental regulations. The focus of the Wärtsilä / SHI joint study will be on utilizing liquefied natural gas (LNG) as fuel for operating vessels. This is especially relevant in Emission Control Areas (ECAs). Wärtsilä’s input will be related to the propulsion machinery, with particular reference to large bore, dual-fuel engines combined with mechanical propulsion solutions. SHI will concentrate on the design of highly efficient vessels incorporating fuel storage facilities and gas-powered propulsion machinery. Merchant vessels to be evaluated include crude oil tankers, for which both optimum propulsion concepts and the performance benefits achieved using LNG as fuel, will be assessed.
LNG has the potential to significantly reduce ship’s emissions when used as marine fuel. Problems still remain in as much that differ from LNG carriers like fuel storage capacity, handling systems and availability of LNG bunker supply worldwide.
