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The use of LNG as a marine fuel is still curbed by a hen-and-egg problem.But more and more LNG-projects of ship owners, ports and terminal operators point to a change
Europe

German shipyard Fr. Fassmer has built the EU’s first LNG-powered vessel, a ferry for the island[ds_preview] of Helgoland. The ship is 83m long, 13m wide and has a draft of 3.6m and carries 1,180 passengers, ten 10-ft-containers and mixed cargo. The 5,000 kW engines provides a top speed of 20kn. Shipping company Cassen Eils got an EU-subsidy of 4.175mill. €. Total cost was 30mill. €.

With start of operations scheduled for 2017, Bomin Linde will build an LNG-terminal in the port of Hamburg and a 7,000m3 LNG-bunkering vessel, expected to be ordered in Q3 2015. The vessel will also transport LNG to the Klaipedos Nafta reloading station in Klaipeda, being developed by 2017. In Stockholm, Linde group already operates »AGA Seagas«, the world’s first LNG-fueling vessel, built with TEN-T funding to fuel the cruise ship »Viking Grace«.

Becker Marine Systems and AIDA Cruises developed an LNG hybrid barge for the port of Hamburg. »Hummel« works as a floating power plant, using LNG to generate electricity to supply ships at berth.

AIDA Cruises has ordered two LNG-powered cruise vessels with Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany. The 180,000 gt-ships will be delivered in 2019 and 2020, estimated order value is 1.5 bill. €. Meanwhile Meyer Turku in Finland is building a fast LNG-ferry for Tallink’s Tallinn-Helsinki service. The 212m long 49,000 gt-ship will carry 2,800 passengers and will cost about 230mill. €. It will have a top speed of 27kn, delivery is scheduled for early 2017.

Dutch shipyard DBI Borkum is building the world’s first LNG-powered hopper barge for bremenports. The German ports company gets 1.65mill. € of EU-funding for the 4.9mill. € order. The hopper barge will be 70m long and 10m wide with a loading capacity of 850m3. Earlier, HGM Energy announced to build an LNG-bunkering facility in Bremen’s industrial port by 2016.

The Port of Antwerp renewed plans for an LNG bunkering facility for barges. Currently, only truck-to-vessel operation is possible. Originally the port wanted to build the 450 m3 facility and then find a licencee to operate it. Now it looks for a company to do both. By 2019 the terminal will be operational.

By defining the Dutch and German ports of Groningen Seaports and Nie­dersachsen Ports as one port region, bunkering facilities shall be developed more efficiently. Seen individually, both groups are unlikely to be eligible for EU funding. Thus, with support of Energy Valley, a common approach has been developed.

United European Car Carriers (UECC) has ordered two LNG-powered Pure Car/Truck Carriers (PCTCs). Powered by an MAN dual-fuel engine, they will be capable of completing a 14-day round trip operating solely on LNG. UECC has signed an exclusive contract for the supply of LNG in Zeebrugge. The vessels will be constructed at NACKS shipyard, China. Delivery is scheduled for the se­cond half of 2016.

Gate terminal Rotterdam is building an LNG break bulk infrastructure, inclu­ding berthing and loading facilities dedi­cated to bunkerships and smaller tankers. Based on a multi-user service model, the facilities will have a capacity of 280 berthing slots per year. First operations are planned towards the end of 2016. Shell has committed to buy capa­city from Gate and has ordered an LNG bunker vessel, to supply ships in Northwest Europe. The ship will be built by South Korean STX Offshore & Shipbuilding.

DEME ordered two trailing suction hopper dredgers equipped with dual-fuel engines and LNG tanks that will be built by Dutch shipyard Royal IHC. They will be operational before the end of 2016. Hopper volume will be approx. 8,000m3 and 3,000m3, respectively.

Sirius Veder Gas AB has ordered a 5,800m3 LNG bunker and feeder vessel with Dutch shipyard Royal Bodewes for distribution of LNG in the Baltic area. The joint venture of Anthony Veder Group and Sirius Rederi will operate the vessel for Skangass under a long term charter. It will be delivered in February 2017.

The Port of Gotheburg, Sweden, has started bunkering services at its new LNG terminal. It includes a number of pressurised storage tanks with a total capacity of 9,600m3. In a second phase, a 20,000–25,000 m3 tank will be built.

In the port of Hirtshals, Denmark, Fjord Line opened a LNG-bunker-terminal with a 500m3-tank, to supply its ferries »Stavangerfjord« and »Bergensfjord«.

The LNG-powered ferry »Prinsesse Isabella« operates between Hou and the island of Samsø, Denmark. It is 99.91m long, 18.5m wide and has a draft of 3m. The vessel was built by Remontowa in Poland for Samsø Rederi, designed by OSK Ship-Tech and classified by DNV GL. The LNG containment unit was built by Remontowa LNG Systems, the gas is supplied by Q8 via truck, in the long term it is planned to supply the ship with gas from the islands biogas plant.

A part of a 45mill. € bond issue by Finnish Containerships Oy will finance the acquisition of two new container vessels, extending Containerships investment program up to six identical LNG-fueled vessels, to become the first shortsea container operator in Europe to run ships on LNG.

Sweden’s first LNG-powered passenger ferry will be delivered in 2017. AB Gotland ordered the RoPax-vessel with Chinese shipyard GSI. The 200m long 4,800tdw ship will have room for 1,650 passengers and 1,750m of trailer lanes. It will cost 108mill. €, OSK-ShipTech will design it. AB Gotland will also build the fuel supply infrastructure.

NorLines’ LNG powered RoRo-vessels »Kvitbjørn« and »Kvitnos« have been developed in cooperation with Rolls-Royce. Built by Tsuji Heavy Industries, China, »Kvitbjørn« is already in service between Northern Europe and Norway. The DNV GL classed ships are 112m long, 20.8m wide at 5,500tdw. The Bergen B35:40 main engine provides 3,940kW, top speed is 14.3kn.

Russian company LNG-Gorskaya has ordered the country’s first three 7,300m3 LNG bunkering vessels with shipyard USC. Delivery is scheduled for late 2016, the contract includes an option for six additional ships. GTT will provide the containment system.

In collaboration with Lloyd’s Register, the port of Gibraltar is developing an LNG bunkering infrastructure.

To make recommendations to the Greek authorities with regard to technical and financial aspects of the LNG supply chain in the Greek South Aegean region, RSA, DEPA, EKETA, SEAJETS and Neorion Syros Shipyards have founded the Archipelago LNG consortium, co-funded by the EU.

North America

General Dynamics NASSCO has built the world’s first LNG powered containership, »Isla Bella«, in San Diego for TOTE. As part of a two-ship contract, the 232-m-containerships will be the world’s largest dry cargo ships powered by LNG. Upon delivery in late 2015, the ships will operate between Jacksonville, FL, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

In Pascagoula, Mississippi, VT Halter Marine is building the first of two LNG-powered ConRo ships for Crowley Maritime Corporation’s liner services. They will be 219.5m long, 32.3m wide, have a draft of 10m at 26,500tdw. Cargo capacity will be 2,400TEUs, with additional space for nearly 400 vehicles. The ship was designed by Wärtsilä Ship Design in conjunction with Crowley subsidiary Jensen Maritime. »El Coquí« and »Taíno« are scheduled for delivery second and fourth quarter 2017.

The USA’s first LNG-powered vessel, »Harvey Energy«, was built at GCSG in Gulfport for Harvey Gulf. The ship is 94,5m long and 19.5m wide with a draft of 7.5m. It is powered by three Wärtsilä dual-fuel gensets providing 7.5MW. The ship is US flagged and classed by ABS. The first bunkering took place at a terminal owned by a subsidiary of Martin Midstream in Pascagoula. Harvey Gulf is currently constructing the first LNG fueling facility in the US in Port Fourchon, LA, that will consist of two sites of 1.02 mill. l storage capacity each.

WesPac and Clean Marine Energy (CME) have ordered the first LNG bunker barge in North America with Conrad Orange Shipyard. The 2,200m3 barge will be delivered in early 2016 and will be initially deployed in Tacoma, to service TOTE’s Orca class RoRo-ships. It will later be relocated to Jacksonville, FL, to serve TOTE’s new Marlin class container ships. The tank will be equipped with GTT’s containment technology. Bristol Harbor Group will be responsible for the design, ABS will act as classification society.

At Remontowa shipyard in Gdansk, three dual-fuel ferries for Canadian operator B.C. Ferries are under construction. The 107m long vessels will have room for 145 vehicles and 600 passengers. The Remontowa-designed ships will cost 165mill. $ and will operate mostly on LNG.

Asia/Australia

German shipyard FSG will build an LNG-fueled RoRo vessel for Australian company SeaRoad Shipping. The fuel is stored on board in three road tankers that can be changed out after every voyage, so no port infrastructure for bunkering is needed.

China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) operates Asia’s first LNG-powered tugboat »Hai Yang Shi You 525«. The first of two tugs built by the Zhenjiang shipyard, features two Rolls-Royce Bergen engines. Rolls-Royce also equipped the world’s first LNG-powered tug, »Borgøy«, for Norwegian owner Buksèr og Berging.

South Korea wants to dominate the shipbuilding market for dual-fuel tankers. The government plans to build LNG bunkering terminals in all of the country’s major ports. In Tongyeong, an LNG facility will open in 2017, followed by terminals in Gwangyang, Boryeong and Incheon later. By 2018 bunkering shuttles from LNG carriers to LNG-powered ships are expected to enter service.


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