LNG_Ships_2014-2017

LNG bunkering facility within the Port of Gothenburg. LNG bunkering MAN Cryo, MAN Diesel & Turbo’s marine-LNG fuel-gas-system manufacturer, has signed a contract with Swedish infrastructure company, Swedegas, to deliver an LNG bunkering facility within the Port of Gothenburg. The new facility will enable vessels to bunker LNG from trucks or containers while simultaneously loading/unloading cargo at two jetties at the port’s Energy Port, dispensing with the need to make a separate refuelling stop. The solution offers increased flexibility for customers and LNG suppliers, and will be open for multiple suppliers. “We are very happy to have won the contract to build this first such bunkering facility in the important Port of Gothenburg. Our strategy to offer LNG solutions to the marine market, both on board vessels as fuel-gas supply systems but also as bunkering infrastructure, dovetails perfectly with the general development towards cleaner ship propulsion,” said Mikael Adler, Managing Director of MAN Diesel & Turbo, Sweden. He continued: “We strive to bring robust, smart and flexible solutions to the market, and this strategic project is an excellent example of that.” The purpose-built facility will comprise of a discharge station for LNG trailers or containers, feeding pumps, vacuum-insulated piping and bunkering equipment to facilitate efficient operations. The installation will also satisfy the stricter sulphur directive for shipping and has been designated by the EU as one of the most prioritised infrastructure projects in Europe. MAN Cryo will oversee the project under the terms of an EPC contract including engineering, procurement and construction, and managed from MAN Diesel & Turbo’s local Gothenburg office. The facility is scheduled to open during 2018 and will be operated and managed by Swedegas in close cooperation with the Port of Gothenburg. Port of Gothenburg The Port of Gothenburg is the largest port in the Nordic countries with over 6,000 ship visits per year from over 140 destinations worldwide. As the only Swedish port with the capacity to cope with the very largest, oceangoing container ships, Gothenburg handles nearly 30% of the country's foreign trade, comprising 40 million tonnes of freight annually.
LNG articulated tug barge ATB unit Harvey Gulf International Marine (HGIM) has received the OK from both ABS and the Coast Guard on its design for a 4,000 cubic meter LNG articulated tug/barge (ATB) unit construction drawing package. The design combines a 128’x42’x19′, 5,100-hp tug connected with a 324’x64’x32’6″ LNG barge with a draft of 16′ and includes ship-to-ship transfer and shore side resupply transfers. Working closely with its design partner, Waller Marine, and in conjunction with ABS and the Coast Guard, HGIM has developed the design package ahead of construction thereby minimizing the potential for delays and significant cost impacts to the project during construction. From the initial idea to its approval “took 2.8 years,” HGIM’s chairman and CEO Shane Guidry said in an email. “The next step is to start building one.” Harvey Gulf has been out front in its development of LNG as a marine fuel, delivering the 310’x64’x25’6″ Harvey Energy, the first U.S. vessel to use LNG as a marine fuel, in February 2015 and developing and operating the first LNG marine refueling terminal in the U.S. at Port Fourchon, La. The new ATB design meets all domestic and international requirements of a gas carrier, including the existing regulatory requirements defined in 46 CFR Subchapter D, 46 CFR Subchapter 0, the International Code for the Design and Construction of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk, 2016 edition (IGC Code), and applicable ABS Steel Barge Rules: Part 5 Chapter 2 Section 5 Liquefied Gas Tank Barges (as modified per 2016 IGC Code), and ABS Steel Vessel Rules Part 5C Chapter 8 Sections 1-19 (as modified per 2016 IGC Code and referenced within the ABS Barge Rules). “This is a bunkering ATB,” said Guidry. “It can bunker docks, vessels, rigs, etc.” The ATB design features four independent 999 cubic meter type “C” cargo tanks, the ability to load and discharge at a rate of 600 cubic meters per hour and transit speed in excess of 10 knots. The design incorporates a robust fire and safety system concept for both components of the ATB and the independent ability of the vessels to manage situations as they arise. Harvey Gulf said working together with Wärtsilä, the cargo systems integrator on the complete design, supply, and integration onboard the vessel, assures both functionality and confidence in the operability of the system. Another key component of the ATB design is the use of a sub-cooler for boil off gas (BOG) management, working in conjunction with Air Liquide using its Turbo-Brayton Technology (TB 350) as a means to condition the cargo as necessary to manage BOG
Canada First Dual Fuel Vessel Set for Operations on the Great Lakes This Fall Tuesday July 19, 2016 Canadian operator Groupe Desgagnés (Desgagnés) says the asphalt-bitumen-chemical tanker Damia Desgagnés - noted to be Canada's first dual fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered combo carrier - will begin operation on the Great Lakes this fall. The vessel is said to be capable of burning LNG, heavy fuel oil, or marine diesel oil. In gas mode, the Damia Desgagnés is expected to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by approximately 25 percent, nitrogen oxide (NOX) emissions by more than 85 percent, and enable the "near-complete" elimination of sulfur oxide (SOX) and air particle emissions. Officially launched at Turkey's Beşiktaş Shipyard on June 11th, 2016, Desgagnés says the vessel is set to hold a CLEANSHIP SUPER notation, indicating it meets strict environmental standards, and a GREEN PASSPORT notation, which ensures safe manipulation and disposal of materials used for construction, maintenance and repair, and dismantlement. The vessel is said to be capable of burning LNG, heavy fuel oil, or marine diesel oil. Featuring a Wärtsila 5RT-flex 50DF propulsion engine with a power output of 5,540 kW, the 15,100 DWT Damia Desgagnés has been built to carry up to 13,350 tonnes of asphalt and has a POLAR 7 certification for travel in icy waters. "The Damia Desgagnés is part of an extensive investment program for the renewal and expansion of the Desgagnés fleet with vessels fitted with cutting-edge technology, which demonstrates Desgagnés' commitment and confidence in its future," said Louis-Marie Beaulieu, chairman and CEO of Desgagnés. Hailing a first for merchant vessels in Canada, Beaulieu says all the vessels on order by the company will be powered by dual-fuel engines. In November, in-line with one of its election platform promises, Canada's Liberal government moved to implement a ban on crude oil tankers along the country's West Coast.
Award for Japan's First LNG-fueled Tugboat By Aiswarya Lakshmi Monday, July 11, 2016, 4:48 AM NYK Line received award sponsored by the Japan Federation of Freight Industries (JFFI) recognizing the environmental load reduction achieved by Japan's first LNG-fueled tugboat, Sakigake. This is the third time since 2009 that NYK has been honored at this annual awards ceremony. NYK has been conducting technical research and development on the use of LNG to fuel ships in order to meet the tightened regulations on CO2 emissions from vessels. Sakigake, which was delivered in August 2015 and comes equipped with dual-fuel engines that can use either LNG or diesel oil, was highly evaluated by the Japan Federation of Freight Industries because LNG fuel has much less of an environmental impact compared with heavy fuel oil. In accordance with the NYK Group’s “More Than Shipping 2018” medium-term management plan, NYK has been implementing a number of creative solutions, such as the construction of the world’s first LNG-fueled car carrier and LNG bunkering vessel. NYK has also teamed with Engie and the Mitsubishi Corporation to develop the LNG bunkering business, and will contribute to the continuing promotion and development of LNG fuel for ships for reduced environmental loads.
Ternsund fitted with WinGD technology DF Jun 24 2016 The first dual-fuel 2-stroke engine employing the low-pressure X-DF gas admission technology developed by Winterthur Gas & Diesel (WinGD) has been installed in the newbuilding 15,000 dwt chemical tanker ‘Ternsund’. The 5-cylinder, 500 mm bore, Wärtsilä RT-flex50DF engine with the X-DF technology was fitted as the vessel’s main engine driving a single propeller. ‘Ternsund’ was ordered from by AVIC International Ship Development (China), Shanghai, and completed by AVIC Dingheng Shipbuilding at Jiangdu for Terntank Rederi, based in Skagen, Denmark. She underwent sea trials from 22nd-28th May, 2016 and is scheduled to be delivered by the end of this June 2016. During the trials, the Wärtsilä 5RT-flex50DF engine, rated at a maximum power of 5850 kW at 102 rev/min, was run continuously for several days in its gas mode and a series of automated fuel changeovers from diesel mode to gas mode and back were also executed. In addition, as customary in sea trials, the engine was run at a range of load points in both gas and diesel mode, including a high load level set to fully exploit the sea margin of the ‘Ternsund’ with its hull in new condition without fouling. All aspects of the trials were successfully passed, AVIC Dingheng Shipbuilding reported. ‘Ternsund’ is a twin-hull chemical tanker designed to meet Ice Class 1A. She is the first of four ordered by Terntank from AVIC Dingheng Shipbuilding. The engine was built for a design speed of 14.5 knots. It was delivered to the shipyard in October, 2015 by WinGD’s engine manufacturer Yuchai Marine Power (YCMP) based in Zhuhai, China. Destined to operate predominantly in northern European waters, with its Wärtsilä 5RT-flex50DF engine the vessel will meet the strict limits on SOx in SECAs, due to the extremely low sulphur content of natural gas. At the same time, the X-DF technology also enables compliance with IMO Tier III limits on NOx in gas operation without additional exhaust gas after-treatment. Meanwhile, China State Shipbuilding Corp (CSSC) and Wärtsilä announced that the latter had transferred its 30% shareholding in WinGD to CSSC. WinGD will continue as an independent, international company to develop and innovate its 2-stroke low-speed marine engine portfolio. “With the transfer of the shares in WinGD from Wärtsilä to CSSC, we will be able to establish even closer co-operation with one of the leading global shipbuilding conglomerate CSSC enabling us to accelerate the development of reliable, efficient and innovative 2-stroke low-speed engines meeting the market demands of merchant shipping of the future. WinGD will continue to work with the Wärtsilä Corp service network to serve our customers for after-sales support.” explained Martin Wernli, WinGD CEO. In November 2013, Terntank ordered two of the next generation tanker ships. We extended the order in April 2014 to a total of four. The addition of these state-of-the-art ships reflects our most significant expansion ever. These new vessels are equipped with dual fuel engines, running on both LNG and diesel, and specially designed for trading in ECA 2016. With advanced technology we can ensure bunker reductions of 8 tonnes per 24 hours. Once in service,our fleet will be one of the most modern and fuel efficient in the industry. Terntank is the first shipowner to order vessels within the project platform Zero Vision Tool (ZVT). In order to cope with the higher building cost for these vessels Terntank is, together with other participants in the ZVT, working towards Ports and Governmental institutions for a reduction in port costs and fairway dues. The project was also granted EU support in the application Baltic Solution, therefore this project is co-funded by EU
SCF Group Secures Funds for New Arctic LNG Tanker Posted by Eric Haun Friday, June 17, 2016 PAO Sovcomflot (SCF Group) and VTB Bank have signed a $260 million 13-year loan agreement, providing financing of construction of an Arctic liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker for the Yamal LNG project. The agreement was signed on June 17, 2016 by Sergey Frank, President and CEO of PAO Sovcomflot, and Andrey Kostin, President and Chairman of the Management Board of VTB Bank, as part of the 20th International Economic Forum in Saint Petersburg. The new tanker, due for delivery in the first quarter of 2017, will be able to carry up to 172,600 cubic meters of LNG and has an Arc7 enhanced ice class, enabling independent navigation in ice fields of up to 2.1 meters thick. The vessel will have a 45 MW propulsion system, which is comparable to that of the nuclear ice breakers. “We are completing the construction of an innovative vessel, which has no analogs in the world to date, and we have concluded a unique transaction to finance this project,” said Sovcomflot’s CEO Sergey Frank. “This is one of the first such agreements ever signed in Russia, to finance a vessel construction, which is traditionally a very capital-intensive and long-term investment project. I am confident that the solid performance delivered by our company will enable it to continue to be a reliable and attractive partner for Russian banks.” Andrei Kostin, President and Chairman of VTB Bank Management Board, said, “VTB Bank always takes part in innovative and high-tech projects with great interest. The loan to Sovcomflot, Russia’s largest shipping company, will be used to build a unique new ice-resistant LNG tanker for the Russian Arctic. I’m confident it will help Russia further develop this harsh territory.”
LNG Bunkering Vessel Helengi Newly Unveiled Marinelink.com By Aiswarya Lakshmi June 11, 2016 Greece's LNG engineering solutions provider, Helengi has revealed its LNG bunker feeder vessel Amaltheia during the recent Posidonia exhibition held in Athens. "A state of the art vessel is the result of years of intensive engineering studies and it is the first time that Greek companies undertake such a demanding and complex design on this special type of vessel. Both Helengi and NAP Engineering teams display extensive expertise in Marine Engineering and LNG marine applications with wide international experience in the sector," says a statement from the company. Helengi Engineering and NAP Engineering have been collaborating on this unique innovative project which will boost shipbuilding sector bridging the present with the LNG future era. The purpose of this vessel is to provide bunkering LNG services to the Port of Piraeus as well as to feed with LNG fuel other ports such as Patras and Heraklion. The Amaltheia has a capacity of 1400 cubic meters of LNG, however, the vessel can accommodate up to 2000 cubic meters, depending on requirements, Helengi said. The company intends to develop more liquefied natural gas vessels with various capacities.
NASSCO lays keel for LNG ready ECO tanker MAY 31, 2016 General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego, CA, hosted a keel laying ceremony May 25 for the Liberty, one of three ECO Class tankers under construction for SEA-Vista LLC, a partnership between Seacor Holdings, Inc. and Avista Capital Partners. Once delivered, the Jones Act tanker will be operated by Seabulk Tankers, Inc. As honorees at the ceremony, SEA-Vista's Tom Sofyanos, Tom Denning and Ed Hoffman welded their initials into the keel of the ship. The first of the three SEA-Vista ECO tankers, the Independence, was delivered in April. The 610-ft, 50,000 deadweight-ton, LNG-conversion-ready product tankers have a 330,000 barrel cargo capacity. They are being built to a design by DSEC—a subsidiary of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) of Busan, South Korea— that incorporates improved fuel efficiency concepts through features that include a G-series MAN Diesel & Turbo ME slow-speed main engine and an optimized hull form. installation of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel-gas system.
World's First Conversion of a High-Speed Ro-Pax to LNG Propulsion May 24, 2016 To be Featured at Innovation Gallery shipandbunker.com May 24, 2016 The GAINN4SHIP INNOVATION project Tuesday announced that it has been chosen to be showcased at the 2016 GENERA Innovation Gallery in the Energy and Environment International Trade Fair. Spain's Fundación Valenciaport (Valenciaport) Tuesday announced that its GAINN4SHIP INNOVATION project, which will see the conversion of the Bencomo Express to hybrid diesel-liquefied natural gas (LNG) propulsion has been chosen to be showcased at the 2016 GENERA Innovation Gallery in the Energy and Environment International Trade Fair. The project was said to be the world’s first conversion of a high-speed ro-pax vessel to use LNG bunkers, and for the trade fair because of both its technological innovation and its efforts to improve energy efficiency and sustainability. "The technical solution to be applied to this vessel will demonstrate the feasibility of using LNG as a marine fuel," said Valenciaport The vessel is being converted for shipping company Fred. Olsen, S.A. (Fred. Olsen), which operates the vessel along the islands of the Canary archipelago, and is said to be hoping to do so in a "greener and more sustainable way" through the use of LNG bunkers. The technical solution to be applied to this vessel will demonstrate the feasibility of using LNG as a marine fuel Beginning with Bencomo Express, Fred. Olsen is said to be intending to similarly retrofit its entire fleet within the short-to-medium term. "This revolutionary model of inter-island transport based on the use of LNG as a marine fuel is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 20 percent and sulfur emissions by 80 percent," said Valenciaport. "In addition, it will generate an initial demand for LNG as a marine fuel in Spanish ports, which would represent a first step towards making Spain a strategic hub for supplying this type of fuel through its ports." In March, upon announcing its funding for the project, the EU explained that a key driver behind the project is to help operators comply with environmental regulations "in the most efficient way possible."
Shell Deploys Third LNG powered OSV Posted by marinelink .com; Eric Haun Tuesday, May 10, 2016 Shell Offshore Inc. today marked the delivery of the third liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered offshore supply vessel (OSV) in Port Fourchon, La. The new vessel, Harvey Liberty, chartered from specialist company Harvey Gulf International Marine, will join sister ships, Harvey Energy and Harvey Power, and support Shell’s deepwater operations in the Gulf of Mexico. “This is an important milestone for Shell and Harvey Gulf,” said Tahir Faruqui, Shell’s General Manager LNG North America. “The Harvey Liberty highlights our efforts to grow LNG as a fuel in the transport sector, and is a welcome addition to our portfolio.” Harvey Gulf International Marine’s CEO and Chairman, Shane Guidry, added, “Harvey Gulf is excited to share these historical maritime events with Shell. This represents another significant step in the path for Harvey Gulf to establish itself as a leader in utilizing LNG as a marine fuel.” Harvey Liberty runs on 99 percent LNG fuel and can operate for up to 15 days before refueling. The LNG powered vessels provide vessel owners an alternative fuel to meet sulphur and nitrogen oxide emissions regulations in the North American Emission Control Area (ECA). The vessel is 302 feet long and operates on three dual-fuel Wärtsilä engines. It will load from Harvey Gulf’s new LNG bunkering facility in Port Fourchon, where it will support Shell’s platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, transporting supplies, equipment and drilling fluids.
Finland Breaks the Ice on LNG Finland’s new icebreaker Polaris is the world’s first to feature dual fuel liquified natural gas (LNG) and diesel propulsion, earning the icebreaking vessel designations as the Finland’s most powerful and the world’s greenest. Currently undergoing final outfitting at Arctech Helsinki Shipyard, the icebreaker is being built for the Finnish Transport Agency, who upon completion will sell Polaris to Arctia Icebreaking Oy, a subsidiary of state-owned Arctia Shipping, who manages all icebreaking operations in Finland. A product of Finnish Arctic and maritime technological knowhow, Polaris draws upon some of the industry’s top names to secure a spot among the world’s most environmentally friendly and technologically advanced vessels. Once delivered, Polaris will be able to break Baltic Sea ice under all conditions, and also features oil spill response and emergency towing capability at open sea. The vessel's diesel-electric power plant includes two nine-cylinder Wärtsilä 9L34DF (rated 4,500 kilowatts each) and two 12-cylinder Wärtsilä 12V34DF (rated 6,000 kilowatts each) four-stroke medium speed dual fuel genets, as well as an additional eight-cylinder Wärtsilä 8L20DF auxiliary engine (rated 1,168 kilowatts). Combined power output is more than 22 megawatts. Polaris' two vertical LNG tanks combine for a total volume of 800 cubic meters, enabling 10 days autonomy in typical winter conditions. Another 20 days autonomy is added via a combined 2,500 cubic meters capacity for fuel oil. The icebrekaer also features a unique propulsion system: three electrically driven ice strengthened ABB Azipod units, two at the stern (6,5000 kilowatts each) and one at the bow (6,000 kilowatts), which combine for 19 megawatts, making Polaris Finland’s most powerful icebreaker to date.
Norwegian Fish Food Carrier to Run on LNG Posted by Eric Haun March 08, 2016 Rolls-Royce inks $6.5 million deal to supply a LNG propulsion package for a newbuild fish food carrier vessel Rolls-Royce has signed a $6.5 million contract with Tersan Shipyard in Turkey to supply a liquefied natural gas (LNG) propulsion package for a cargo carrier designed by NSK Ship Design for Norwegian ship owner NSK Shipping. The vessel will deliver fish food on behalf of BioMar Group. The new cargo carrier will be a slightly larger sister ship to NSK Shipping’s MS Høydal which was the world’s first LNG powered cargo vessel and which was delivered from Tersan Shipyard in 2012. Both ships are designed by NSK Ship Design. The 81.5-meter-long vessel will be able to carry 2,700 metric tons of fish food to fish farms along the Norwegian coast. The new cargo carrier is expected to be delivered from the yard in 2017. The LNG Propulsion system comprises one eight-cylinder Bergen C26:33 natural gas engine rated at 2,160 kilowatts, Promas combined rudder and propeller system, one tunnel thruster in the bow and one in the aft, and a Rolls-Royce automation and dynamic positioning (DP) system. The vessel is also equipped with the Rolls-Royce hybrid shaft generator (HSG) propulsion system, meaning the main engine also generates electricity for the ship. The HSG will generate electrical power for the ship even if the engine power output varies, saving fuel. The HSG can also act as a propulsion motor (PTI) providing an alternative power source should LNG becomes unavailable – a prerequisite for class approval. Rolls-Royce said its Bergen Gas Engines the only pure gas engines on the market using a spark plug ignition. Alternative “dual fuel” engines use a small amount of diesel for ignition. The B and C Series engines emit around 22 percent (including methane slip) less carbon dioxide (CO2) per unit of power than a diesel engine and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions are reduced by 90 percent. Sulphur oxide (SOx) emissions are negligible. Bergen gas engines deliver a significant reduction in fuel and lubrication oil consumption. In addition, the clean, safe engine rooms and advanced technology can reduce maintenance costs as well as providing a more pleasant working environment for the crew. BioMar has 11 factories producing fish food, in Norway, Chile, Denmark, Scotland, Spain, France, Greece, Turkey and Costa Rica.
Notable U.S. Newbuilds of 2015 http://www.maritime-executive.com/features/notable-us-newbuilds-of-2015 Currently there are 124 shipyards in the U.S., which are spread across 26 states. Meanwhile, the industry supports over 110,000 jobs and the industry witnessed some ground-breaking deliveries: The World’s First LNG-Powered Container Ship; ECO Tankers; The First LNG-Ready Product Tanker; The First LNG-Fuelled OSVs; A Unique Ultra-Light Intervention Vessel; The Most Advanced ATB; The Largest, Most Expensive Destroyer; The Navy’s 13th Virginia Class Submarine; The Flexible Littoral Combat Ship: USS Little Rock; The 12th Monohull LCS;
Amendment Dec. 7 to H.R. 34 to re-establish those tax credits of up to 30% of the cost of natural-gas refueling equipment up to $30,000 and tax credits of $.50 per gallon for both liquefied natural gas and compressed natural gas.	LNG as fuel for inland water vessels - New LNG Masterplan Safety Studies available http://www.lngmasterplan.eu/images/201510_press_release_safety_report_DNV_GL_-_EN.pdf

Caterpillar Dual Fuel LNG Conversion on Furetank Rederi Tanker Tuesday August 4, 2015

Construction of First US LNG Bunker Barge Underway
September 11, 2015

A keel-laying ceremony was held Wednesday by Conrad Orange Shipyard, signifying construction for the first U.S. LNG bunker barge is underway. Conrad Orange Shipyard, Inc. (Conrad), located in Orange, Texas, Wednesday held a keel-laying ceremony for the first liquid natural gas (LNG) bunker barge to be built in the U.S., Marine Log reports.
WesPac Midstream LLC (WesPac) in cooperation with its affiliate Clean Marine Energy LLC (CME), announced in February that it had signed a deal to build at the LNG bunker barge for ship operator Totem Ocean Trailer Express (TOTE).
Designed by Bristol Harbor Group, Inc. and built to American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) class, the barge is said to be set to have a 2,200 m3 capacity and feature a tank with Gaztransport & Technigaz (GTT) MARK III Flex cargo containment technology.
Further, the barge design is reported to include an "innovative" bunker mast design, Refueling Equipment Arm, Methane [CH4] (REACH4), to ensure a simple and safe transfer of LNG fuel to the vessel.

Scheduled for delivery in 2016, the barge is said to be intended to service TOTE's Orca class RO/RO vessels, which are currently being retrofitted with Wärtsilä dual fuel engines to burn both LNG and diesel.
After initial deployment, the barge will reportedly be relocated to Jacksonville, Florida, serving TOTE's 3,100 TEU Marlin Class container ships that are currently under construction, as well as other LNG vessels at the port.
In May, TRI-ZEN International Pte Ltd. released a paper that argued that, although LNG bunker markets have managed to establish themselves in Europe and the U.S., uptake has been "slower than hoped for."

Shearer Group to support LNG towboat conversion
marine air quality study conversion of an inland towboat
to dual fuel diesel/liquid natural gas (LNG)

Wartsilas Debuts Mobile LNG Power Generation

Construction of First US LNG Bunker Barge Underway

LNG Carriers Ordered for US Shale Gas Transport

Compact LNG Ferry Design Deltamarin

First LNG Bunkering Operation on Seagoing Vessel Port of Antwerp

Wartsila Propulsion for LNG Bunker Vessel
A 5,800-cubic-meter LNG bunker and feeder vessel,
for Sirius Veder Gas AB powered by a Wärtsilä propulsion solution.

In-hull Dual Fuel Engine Conversion Industry First

Oct 26, 2015 General Dynamics NASSCO and TOTE
announce Isla Bella, world’s first LNG-powered containership

Breakthrough_for_Very_Large_Ethane_Carriers

Japan First LNG fueled Vessel to Serve Yokohama, Kawasaki Ports
Perla_del_Caribe the second of two
LNG-fueled Marlin Class ships

ABB Delivers Equipment For LNG Ice-Going Carrier
www.abb.com Posted on January 26, 2016 A consortium of partners, headed by Russian gas producer Novatek, have joined the Yamal project to open up gas from the Yamal peninsula, which is located inside the Arctic Circle and locked in ice for most of the year.
The LNG will be shipped out of Sabetta port using the new 170 000-m3 LNG carriers built to ice-breaking capability of ARC 7, an ice-class scale that goes up to 9. LNG shipment will be made to Asia via the Northern Sea Route in summer months resulting in substantially reduced delivery times when compared to transit via traditional routes, as well as cutting fuel consumption and ship fuel emissions, the company said.

ABB announced that the first of 16 liquefied natural gas (LNG) ice-going carriers—equipped with ABB’s Azipod propellers—has been launched by the shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) in South Korea.
The vessel will be prepared for commissioning startup of the ABB equipment from beginning of March. ABB’s scope of supply includes turbochargers, generators, switchboards, transformers, electric drives, propulsion control and the Azipod propulsion units that will power the vessels through the arctic conditions.
The contract, which includes options to equip 15 further vessels, is part of a project to transport LNG from the Yamal peninsula in Northwest Siberia to Asia and Europe.

AS Tallink Grupp is a passenger and cargo transportation service provider in the Northern region of the Baltic Sea.
The company owns altogether 15 vessels and operates under the brands of Tallink and Silja Line on 6 different routes. AS Tallink Grupp employs 7000 people and has annually up to 9 million passengers worldwide.

Keel of Tallink's new LNG Powered Fast Ferry Laid
09 February 2016 http://www.tallink.com/press-releases#21769689

The hull assembly of Tallink’s new fast ferry Megastar was laid today at the Meyer Turku shipyard.

Tallink noted in a statement that Megastar will be 212 meters long, can accommodate altogether 2800 passengers and will start operating on Tallinn-Helsinki route. She will be ready at the beginning of 2017. Megastar will use LNG as fuel, but will also be able to run on marine diesel. She will have a service speed of 27 knots and will comply with the new and stricter emission regulations for the ECA areas including the Baltic Sea according to Tallink.
The CEO of AS Tallink Grupp, Janek Stalmeister said, “As this is our very first LNG vessel with upgrades in so many areas, we celebrate every step taking us closer to her delivery next year. We can’t wait to bring this magnificent ship to our passengers”, said Stalmeister.

LNG bulker trials validate seawater lubrication
08 Feb 2016 motorship.com
Sea trials aboard Erik Thun’s LNG-fuelled short-sea dry bulk vessel ‘Greenland’ have validated the performance of Thordon Bearings COMPAC propeller shaft solution.
The 5,800dwt self-loading/unloading cement carrier, built under the European Union’s TEN-T funded Pilot LNG project for the JT Cement joint venture, is the first ever LNG-fuelled dry cargo vessel in which a pressurized liquid natural gas tank is incorporated into the vessel’s hull.
It is also the first LNG-fuelled vessel to feature a seawater-lubricated propeller shaft bearing system.

Built by Ferus Smit’s Westerbroek shipyard to Lloyd’s Register Ice-class 1A and suitable for year-round service in the Baltic Sea, Greenland completed sea trials in December, prior to taking her first operational load in Rostock. Second of class Ireland is due for delivery within the next three months, and options for two more vessels are under consideration. - See more at: http://www.motorship.com/news101/ships-equipment/lng-bulker-trials-validate-seawater-lubrication#sthash.hKkh8sLV.dpuf

Erik Thun’s LNG-fuelled short-sea dry bulk vessel ‘Greenland’

http://www.passengership.info/news/view,first-gas-and-battery-hybrid-ferry-launched_41675.htm
First gas and battery hybrid ferry launched
The first passenger ferry to use a combination of pure gas and battery power recently went into operation in Norway.

Future battery solutions
Mr Bringedal singled out some interesting fuel trends, such as looking at hydrogen and battery combinations in order to avoid the use of any kind of fossil fuel.

First gas and battery hybrid ferry launched
04 Feb 2016
Fjord1’s Fannefjord was the second unit in a series of four ships built by Poland’s Remontowa shipyard in 2009. It was delivered in 2010 and operates on the Molde–Vestnes route. It was already an efficient and clean ship, being a gas-electric powered ferry. But its owner decided to go one step further and last year converted Fannefjord into a gas and battery hybrid.
The 123m ferry, with a capacity of 390 passengers and 125 cars or 12 road trailers and 55 cars, will reward Fjord1 with a clutch of benefits following the conversion, reducing the methane slip and reducing greenhouse gas emissions still further, as well as boosting fuel efficiency and improving maintenance costs. The refitted Fannefjord uses a 1,050V, 410 kWh energy storage system (ESS) consisting of 63 Corvus Energy AT6500 advanced lithium polymer batteries. The ESS was integrated with the existing Siemens drive systems and powered by two liquefied natural gas LNG ready newbuilds
LMG Marin has also designed four ferries for Estonia’s Port of Tallinn that will initially operate on low sulphur diesel, but which have been designed to be converted to LNG in the future. In order to make sure that the 114m Tõll, Piret, Leiger and Tiiu ferries are ready for autumn this year, two shipyards – Sefine Shipyard in Turkey and Remontowa in Poland – are each constructing two of the ferries, which will operate on the Virtsu–Kuivasts and Heltermaa–Rohuküla routes. Each will have a passenger capacity of 700 and a car capacity of 150.s (LNG) generators.

Another Dual-Fuel Vessel on Order for DEME

February 3, 2016 shipandbunker.com
Belgian dredging, environmental, and marine engineering group, DEME, Monday announced it has contracted with specialied maritime vessel builder Royal IHC to build a next generation trailing suction hopper dredger. According to DEME the vessel, the Bonny River will feature diesel and LNG dual-fuel engines to ensure optimization of fuel consumption and a minimal CO2 footprint.

Dual-fuel dredger cont.
The ship is the sixth that DEME has on order. The order has been placed at Royal IHC, but the ship will be built by Cosco at its shipyard in Guangdong, China.

According to a press release the vessel will be "trendsetting" in that it will be able to work at greater depths and further offshore, being able to extract sand at more than 100 metres deep. By minimizing turbidity generated by process water the vessel is also able to to dredge in environmentally vulnerable areas.
In April 2015 Ship & Bunker reported DEME's would build the world's first LNG powered dredgers.

Baleària to Build "Smart" Solar & Natural Gas-Powered Ferry
February 1, 2016 shipandbunker.com

Baleària has announced it has signed a contract to a build a new ferry at Spain's LaNaval Shipyard that will use liquefied natural gas (LNG) and solar power as energy sources.

Three dual fuel engines will use either natural gas or liquid fuel; solar panels will power on-board services.This vessel is expected to begin operations during 2019, and with a length of 232.2 meters it will be among the largest in Europe, according to Baleària.
"We want to establish a before and after in maritime transport [technology]…Adolfo Utor, Chairman of Baleària. It will be the first passenger ferry powered by LNG in the Mediterranean to make the trip a unique experience,"

A rendering of the new 'smart' ferry.

Jose Ignacio Irasuegui, Managing Director of LaNaval said: "[The] signing of the contract...is a milestone that consolidates LaNaval's positioning in the passenger ship market and, in general, in the design and construction of ships with high technological content. "We are convinced that this agreement will be the start of a long-term relationship between LaNaval and Baleària."

The ship, which joins 22 other vessels in the Baleària fleet, will employ a number of measures to reduce bunker consumption, including high efficiency propellers, shaft lines, and rudders.

In November of 2012 Ship & Bunker reported that Baleària had converted some existing ferries to use LNG bunkers.

SENER Debuts LNG Bunker Vessel Design
Posted by Greg Trauthwein, January 25, 2016, File (Credit: SENER)

Relying on more than four decades of experience and activities in the maritime and energy markets, including the design of a Floating Regasification and Storage Units (FSRU), SENER technology and engineering Group has developed its own design of a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) bunkering vessel.

The SENER design follows the tendencies for 2030 required by operators and ship-owners. The result is a Ship To Ship (STS) LNG bunkering vessel, with IMO type C LNG cargo tanks at 4.5 bar and -163ºC, which reduces to a minimum the steam generated in the tanks (BOG - Boil Off Generated), anyway a BOG management system has been incorporated, to process the BOG generated in the transfer process. This storage system allows greater flexibility of operation, reducing the effect of the wave inside the tank, sloshing, thus allowing partial loads.
The vessel is designed for navigation, maneuverability and operation in adverse meteorological conditions, including Unrestricted Navigation notation.

The propulsion uses LNG as fuel, with type C tanks on deck. Likewise, it includes last generation articulated arms designed for the STS bunkering process, with a high level of automation and control, including innovating measuring system to obtain the maximum accuracy in the measurement of the transference rate, and complying with the regulations of SIGTTO, OCIMF and IGC, among others.

SENER LNG Bunker Vessel Design
Main Particulars Length, o.a. 114.8m
Molded breadth 20.4m
Molded depth    8.5m
Draft                    5.7m
Speed                   15 knots
MCR                   6000 kW
Capacity           8000 cu. m.
Number of tanks    2
Material tanks    9% Ni Steel

Shearer Group to support LNG towboat conversion
The Shearer Group, Inc. November 22, 2015 marinelog.com

Concept rendering of towboat following conversion to burn LNG as a marine fuel

Naval architectural and marine engineering firm The Shearer Group, Inc. (TSGI), Seabrook, TX, will join with Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities (PRCC) and Clean Fuels Clean Rivers (CFCR) to conduct a marine air quality study centered on the conversion of an inland towboat to dual fuel diesel/liquid natural gas (LNG) to reduce diesel emissions in marine vessels.

This past October, the U.S. Maritime Administration (MarAd) announced it had awarded a $730,000 Maritime Environmental and Technical Assistance Program (META) grant to the CFCR coalition to convert a towboat’s diesel engine to burn LNG. The META Program is administered by MarAd’s Office of Environment and is designed to foster collaboration with maritime stakeholders to address emerging environmental challenges.
Results from towboat conversion demonstration project will help expand the development and availability of natural gas conversion technology for smaller scale tug, tow, and harbor vessels. PRCC will collect air emissions data before and after the conversion, which will allow for operational and emissions comparisons. The CFCR goal is to research and develop the technology to allow marine operators to use a clean burning alternative to diesel. This in turn allows them to meet new EPA emission requirements and reduce environmental impact to the inland waterways.
"We are excited about receiving the first grant of its kind from MarAd," says Rick Price, Executive Director of PRCC. "Our selection highlights the quality partnerships the PRCC has developed over the years. We look forward to leading the way in the national effort to conduct environmentally responsible marine operations on our Nation's river systems."
TSGI will be providing naval architecture services for the conversion of the vessel. It is expected to be the first dual fuel LNG towboat on the inland waterways upon completion of the conversion.
As you might recall, The Shearer Group’s sister company, Bristol Harbor Group, Bristol, RI, is designing the first LNG bunker barge being built in the U.S. The keel for the barge was recently laid at Conrad Orange shipyard in Orange, TX.Back in 2014, a 4,200 hp LNG-fueled, Z-drive towboat design from Conrad Shipyards and The Shearer Group received Approval in Principle (AIP) from classification society ABS.

Dual-fuel Canadian tankers Great Lakes and Canada’s St. Lawrence River. lngindustry.com Saturday, January 16, 2016 Parker Bestobell Marine has received its first order to supply its cryogenic fuel gas valves for new build tankers. The two 15 000-dwt ice-class 1A asphalt and bitumen tankers have been ordered by Groupe Desgagnés of Canada and will be built at Besiktas shipyard in Turkey. The ships will be equipped with dual-fuel engines allowing them to operate on LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) and fuel oil, via 600 m3 gas storage tanks on the decks.	A strong order book for LNG-fueled vessels, January 12, 2016 While around 70 are in operation today (excluding gas carriers), 80 are on order, with the range of vessels ordered – from containerships to car carriers as well as ferries and bulkers - also a positive indicator. http://www.motorship.com/news101/lng/towards-a-gas-fuelled-future
Yamal LNG Project Nine LNG Carriers 15 September 2015 Light-duty vehicles alone consume more fuel than all freight modes of transportation put together, including heavy trucks, marine, and rail. Shell Trading Rotterdam BV (Shell) has signed a time-charter agreement with Plouvier Transport NV and Intertrans Tankschiffahrt AG for 15 new inland dual-fuel barges, which will predominantly run on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). The barges, built by the Dutch shipyard VEKA Shipbuilding BV, will support Shell’s business in trading and transporting mineral oil products in the ARA (Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp) and Rhinetrack (Germany/ Switzerland) regions.	Shell to Charter 15 LNG-powered Barges
Wartsilas Debuts Mobile LNG Power Generation Marinelink.com by Eric Haun October 27, 2015 A new liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage and regasification barge concept introduced by Wärtsilä's Marine Solutions and Energy Solutions businesses aims to provide a flexible means of meeting small- to medium-scale requirements where pure land-based LNG options are limited. The Wärtsilä Mobile LNG can be combined with a barge-mounted power plant having an output capacity of up to 250 MW, or it can alternatively be used to supply conventional land-based power plants. According to Wärtsilä, this flexibility of location can bring clean energy to areas that have only limited or no access to the national electricity grid.
Japan First LNG fueled Vessel to Serve Yokohama, Kawasaki Ports Ship & Bunker News Team September 16, 2015 Sakigake will also be fuelled from a tanker truck at a Yokohama pier. Japan's first liquefied natural gas (LNG) fueled vessel, the tugboat Sakigake, has been charted to NYK Group subsidiary Wing Maritime Service Corporation and will operate mainly at the ports of Yokohama and Kawasaki, the company announced Tuesday. NYK received delivery of Sakigake on August 31 at the Oppama factory of Keihin Dock Co. Ltd.; this is the second environmently-friendly tugboat operated by Wing Maritime, following Tsubasa in March 2013. Keihin Dock worked with Niigata Power Systems Co. Ltd. to overcome the problem of creating a relatively small sized LNG-powered vessel, saying they designed and manufactured an engine that can use either LNG and diesel oil while maintaining the hull form and steering performance of a traditional tugboat. Tokyo Gas Co. Ltd. will supply the gas for the tug, from a tanker truck at a Yokohama pier; this follows a July 2015 trial fueling of the vessel, the first ever such procedure carried out in Japan. The NYK Group's next objective, according to its `More Than Shipping 2018' medium-term management plan, is to participate in the LNG bunkering business. Earlier this year, it was learned that Japan is pushing for ships to use LNG not only to help cut carbon emissions but respond in the event of an energy crisis.
First LNG Bunkering Operation on Seagoing Vessel Port of Antwerp September 16, 2015 The Sefarina was also reportedly to the first ship to obtain a particulates discount. The Port of Antwerp has successfully completed its first truck-to-ship liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering operation on a seagoing vessel, the port announced this week. The Sefarina, operated by Netherlands-based Chemgas Shipping, was also reportedly to the first ship to obtain a particulates discount. The port said that although the ability to bunker with LNG had already been available for a while, so far it had only been used on barges. The recent development with the Sefarina is expected to act as a test case for future safety procedures, and the success of the operation has also led the port to begin looking for a candidate to build and operate at a permanent LNG bunkering and filling station, the port said. "The aim is for barges to be able to bunker with LNG in the Port of Antwerp at a permanent facility by the beginning of 2019 at the latest," it said. Earlier this year, it was reported that the new permanent facility is expected to have 450 cubic metres of storage capacity. Ship & Bunker News Team In-hull Dual Fuel Engine Conversion Industry First November 05, 2015 marinelink.com To convert its vessel Coral Anthelia to dual fuel operation, Anthony Veder worked with Cat dealer Bolier to complete the industry’s first in-hull retrofit – saving considerable time and money in the process. The project saw the retrofit of a marine diesel engine to dual fuel operation in the hull of a ship without altering the vessel’s structure, limiting any onboard operations or requiring the ship to dock. Gas shipping company Anthony Veder partnered with a team of Dutch partners, including Cat dealer Bolier, to accomplish this industry-first feat – all within less than five weeks.

Wartsila Propulsion for LNG Bunker Vessel
By Joseph R. Fonseca November 09, 2015
A new 5,800-cubic-meter LNG bunker and feeder vessel, being built for Sirius Veder Gas AB at Royal Bodewes, Hoogezand, in the Netherlands, will be powered by a Wärtsilä propulsion solution. Wärtsilä, who received the contract in September, will supply a propulsion package comprising a six-cylinder Wärtsilä 34DF dual-fuel main engine capable of running on either LNG or diesel, a reduction gearbox with power take-off (PTO), a shaft line suitable for use with environmentally friendly lubricants and equipped with a Wärtsilä Airguard aft seal that allows zero emissions, and a Wärtsilä controllable pitch propeller.
The latest Wärtsilä 34DF engine version features high power output and reduced fuel consumption in both gas and diesel modes, according to the manufacturer. In gas mode, the vessel will comply with the IMO's Tier III NOx emission regulations without need of secondary exhaust cleaning systems.
“Since Wärtsilä introduced dual-fuel engine technology, more than 1,300 Wärtsilä DF engines have been ordered. Similarly, bunkering and feeder vessels such as this one are also increasingly taking advantage of our proven technology,” said Göran Österdahl, General Manager, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions. “This extensive experience adds tremendous value as it allows us to provide expert engineering and project support to the yard, which importantly saves time and reduces risk.” Jan Valkier, CEO of Anthony Veder, said, “We are committed to developing energy-efficient solutions for small to midsize LNG shipping. The use of LNG as a marine fuel is rapidly increasing and there is growing demand for efficient bunker and feeder vessels. Wärtsilä has both the technology and the experience necessary to meet the needs of this market.”
When delivered, the ship will be operated on a long-term charter by Skangass, a player in the Nordic and Finnish LNG markets. Sirius Veder Gas AB, the owners of the new vessel, is a joint venture formed between Sirius Rederi of Sweden and the Netherlands based Anthony Veder Group.
The Wärtsilä equipment is scheduled for delivery in 2016 and the vessel is due to be delivered in February 2017.

Shell to Charter 15 LNG-powered Barges
Posted by Michelle Howard Friday, December 18, 2015, 9:32 AM http://www.marinelink.com/news/lngpowered-charter-barges402459.aspx

Shell Trading Rotterdam BV (Shell) has signed a time-charter agreement with Plouvier Transport NV and Intertrans Tankschiffahrt AG for 15 new inland dual-fuel barges, which will predominantly run on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). The barges, built by the Dutch shipyard VEKA Shipbuilding BV, will support Shell’s business in trading and transporting mineral oil products in the ARA (Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp) and Rhinetrack (Germany/Switzerland) regions.

Dr. Grahaeme Henderson, Vice President of Shell Shipping & Maritime said, “These innovative new vessels will enable a step-change in the safety and environmental performance of our barge fleet. Chartering these cutting-edge vessels from owners who share our vision helps drive innovation in the barge sector.”
This investment underlines Shell’s confidence in LNG becoming a bigger part of the global transport fuel mix and supports the development of a new European LNG marine fuel industry for inland and coastal vessels. It is expected that these barges will refuel with LNG from the new LNG for Transport supply infrastructure, called an ‘LNG break bulk’ terminal, currently being built by the Gas Access to Europe (Gate) terminal in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

The 110-meter-long barges have been designed for improved environmental performance, safety and optimal cargo carrying capacity in various water conditions. Their main engines provided by Wärtsilä will run on 95- 98 percent LNG fuel with a small proportion of diesel used for ignition.

A staggered delivery of the barges is expected to take place between late-2016 and mid- 2018.

Wartsila Solution for 15 LNG Powered Barges
by Joseph R Fonseca, December 28, 2015

With the Wärtsilä 20DF, Wärtsilä is extending the benefits of dual fuel (DF) technology to cover the entire power range

A series of 15 inland waterway barges being built for Belgium based Plouvier Transport N.V., and which will be chartered by Shell Trading Rotterdam (Shell), are to be powered by Wärtsilä dual-fuel main engines. The barges will operate primarily on liquefied natural gas (LNG). Wärtsilä will also supply other propulsion equipment and its LNGPac fuel gas handling system. The ships' hulls are under construction at the VEKA Shipyard CENTROMOST in Poland and outfitting will be carried out at VEKA Shipyard Werkendam. The contract with Wärtsilä was concluded in December.

LNG to replace diesel for inland navigation
Dipak K Dash & Vishwa Mohan TNN Dec 29, 2015
New Delhi: Seeking to reduce India's carbon footprints, the Centre has decided to switch over from diesel to relatively less polluting Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as a fuel for vessels in the inland navigation system. The proposed new fleet of 80 vessels in Ganga is likely to be the first beneficiary of the move.
The idea is to reduce carbon emission with no additional operational cost as LNG has the potential to bring in savings to the tune of nearly 25% in comparison to diesel.
"Unlike crude oil, LNG spills do not require any remediation of soil, ground water or surface water because it evaporates immediately and dissipates quickly into the atmosphere," said an official of the Inland Waterways Authority of India while talking about the decision which has got the nod of the shipping ministry.
Shipping minister Nitin Gadkari had recently said, "We will use LNG as a fuel for the next generation of vessels in the inland waterways. We want clean and affordable fuel for both protecting environment and bringing down the cost of transportation."
It is learnt that LNG will be first used in a big way in the Allahabad-Haldia stretch of Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hoogly river system. At present, big diesel-powered vessels are used in this stretch to transport coal from Haldia to Farakka for NTPC's thermal power plants.
Under the switchover plan, three distribution hubs - Varanasi, Sahebganj and Haldia - will be created. It will supply LNG to transportation (marine, railways and long haul trucking), industries and mining sectors.
The move is also significant in view of the government's recent decision to increase the number of national waterways from existing five to 111 as it will eventually increase the inland waterways traffic all over the country.
Since the Centre cannot invest to develop waterways until it's declared as national waterway, the shipping ministry had moved a bill to get umbrella clearance for another 106 waterways. The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha in the recently concluded winter session.
With state-owned Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL) already contracting to import huge quantity of LNG from the United States over the next 20 years, the government is considering how the inland waterways can be used to take this clean fuel to interior areas.
Petroleum and natural gas minister

Yamal LNG Project Nine LNG Carriers 15 September 2015
Dynagas today announced that it has entered into long term time charter agreements for five ARC7 and four ARC4 liquefied natural gas carriers for the Yamal LNG Project, which is located on the Yamal Peninsula in Northern Russia. Dynagas will build five 172,000 cubic meter ARC7 LNG carriers at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd. shipyard in South Korea which will be serving the Yamal project under long term time charters. The vessels will be capable to break 2.1 meter ice in both the forward and reverse direction. In addition, four of Dynagas' existing ARC4 LNG carriers will come into Yamal shipping fleet to support Yamal deliveries committed to Asian buyers from year 2019 onwards and will be time chartered for a period of 15 years each according to a company statement.

Compact LNG Ferry Design Deltamarin
September 14, 2015
Deltamarin says DeltaLinx is a compact ferry designed for short coastal routes. Deltamarin Ltd. (Deltamarin) Friday announced that it launched its new liquid natural gas (LNG) powered "DeltaLinx" compact ferry design, at the BaltExpo 2015 exhibition in Gdańsk, Poland. "DeltaLinx is a compact ferry designed for short coastal routes to link small neighbouring towns with an emphasis on minimal environmental footprint," explained Deltamarin. Powered by LNG to eliminate sulphur oxides (SOx) and reduce amounts of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon dioxide (CO2) in exhaust gases, the ferry is said to have a large fuel tank underneath the car deck, designed for weekly refuelling. The ready-to-apply DeltaLinx design uses existing technologies to its full potential and integrates them into the smallest possible package.
Deltamarin
With a length of about 80 metres, as well as an 800 passenger and 82 car capacity, the vessel's compact design is said to allow for easier operation in small ports and busy harbours. "The ready-to-apply DeltaLinx design uses existing technologies to its full potential and integrates them into the smallest possible package," stated Deltamarin.
The ferry design is reported to include streamlined hull lines to reduce resistance and lower wash, while an "extensive" freeboard in the bow enables the vessel to cope with rough weather and fin stabilisers help ensure smooth sailing. In August, Deltamarin announced the introduction of what it says is "the future container feeder design", the A.Delta2300, boasting best-in-class design in terms of cargo capacity, flexibility, and fuel economy.

Perla_del_Caribe the second of two LNG-fueled Marlin Class ships built by General Dynamics NASSCO for Tote, launched at NASSCO’s yard in San Diego.
(Photo: General Dynamics NASSCO)

On Saturday, August 29, 2015, the world’s first series of energy efficient containerships welcomed its second LNG-powered vessel in San Diego, fueling the U.S. maritime industry with cutting edge economic and environmental efficiencies powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).
“The launch of Perla del Caribe marks a momentous step forward for the future of U.S. maritime, using green technology to ensure the products we deliver are transported safely and efficiently, all while using the most environmentally friendly mode of transportation,” said Tom Allegretti, chairman of the American Maritime Partnership (AMP), the voice of the domestic maritime industry.
Shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO launched TOTE’s newest Marlin Class vessel Perla del Caribe in the San Diego Bay, celebrating the many growth opportunities the new Jones Act ship will provide to the U.S. economy including adding more family-wage jobs to support the nearly 500,000 men and women

These state-of-the-art LNG-fueled vessels will reduce particulate matter by 98 percent as well as carbon dioxide emissions by 72 percent, the equivalent of removing more than 15,700 cars from the road.

Perla del Caribe will be homeported in Jacksonville, Florida and will service Puerto Rico

LNG_Carriers_Ordered_for_US_Shale_Gas_Transport
By Eric Haun Wednesday, September 09, 2015 marinelink.com

Japanese shipbuilder Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) informs it has received orders for the construction of two next-generation liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers that will primarily carry shale gas produced in North America. The shipbuilding contracts, received through MI LNG Company, Limited, a joint venture between MHI and Imabari Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., will see the delivery of one LNG carrier each for two separate joint ventures which Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. has established with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line), respectively. The vessels will be built at MHI's Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery and are both scheduled for completion and delivery in 2018 when they will commence transporting shale gas produced in North America, mainly carrying the gas from the Freeport LNG Project, an initiative in which Chubu Electric Power is participating.

Breakthrough_for_Very_Large_Ethane_Carriers

Posted by Eric Haun Friday, September 12, 2014 marinelink.com

Hartmann Schiffahrts Gmbh & Co. KG, Jaccar Holdings, HB Hunte Engineering and DNV GL, signed a letter of intent for the classification of five ECO STAR 85k very large ethane carriers. Jean Labescat from Jaccar Holdings, Ulrich Adami, Technical Director of Hartmann Schiffahrts GmbH & Co. KG, Frerk Brand, Managing Director of HB Hunte Engineering, and Torsten Schramm, DNV GL Maritime’s COO for Division Germany, Middle East & Asia, signed the agreement at the SMM trade fair.

Ethane_Carrier_EcoStar.jpg

An artist’s depiction of North America’s first LNG bunker barge. (Courtesy: Bristol Harbor Group, Inc.)

LNG_Towboat The Shearer Group and Conrad Shipyard collaborate on an ABS approved LNG Towboat Design.

Crowley announces second LNG-powered Roll-On/Roll-Off ship
2015 August 2

The keel for the second Commitment Class liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered, combination container – Roll-On/Roll-Off (ConRo) ship for Crowley Maritime Corp.’s liner services group was laid yesterday during a ceremony at ship-builder VT Halter Marine, Inc.’s facility in Pascagoula, Miss. The keel laying ceremony marked the next step in the construction of Crowley’s two Commitment Class ships, which will exclusively serve the U.S.-Puerto Rico trade lane. VT Halter Marine and Crowley entered into a contract for the pair of Jones Act ships in November 2013 and construction of the second ship began with steel cutting in Pascagoula on May 27, 2015. With the first section set in place, the ship will now begin to take shape as it is built around the keel.

Interlake moves ahead on LNG fuel plans
May 8, 2013—The Interlake Steamship Company conversion of its vessels to LNG.
When converted, the Interlake ships are expected to be the first LNG-powered ships on the Great Lakes and among the first in the U.S.
With a goal of converting the first vessel by the spring of 2015.
Interlake is already working through engineering and design, seeking regulatory approval and securing financing.

Interlake Steamship to Install Scrubbers on 2 More Ships

Tuesday, August 11, 2015 marinelink.com
The Interlake Steamship Company proves phase one of emissions-reduction technology on Great Lakes; two additional ships to be outfitted with exhaust gas scrubber technology in 2016

Following the implementation of exhaust gas scrubbers on its self-unloading bulk carrier M/V Hon. James L. Oberstar, the Interlake Steamship Company has announced its plans to expand its emission-reduction efforts to one-third of its fleet by installing similar scrubber systems on the M/V Lee A. Tregurtha and M/V James R. Barker early next year.

In April 2015, Interlake became the first U.S.-flag fleet to test freshwater scrubbers on the Great Lakes when the system became operational on the 806-foot Oberstar. The 826-foot Tregurtha and 1,003-foot Barker will be equipped with the same single-inlet, closed-loop DuPont Marine Scrubbers from Belco Technologies Corp. (BELCO), a division of DuPont Sustainable Solutions.

“This technology allows us to achieve our goal of continually shrinking our fleet’s environmental footprint while dependably, safely and efficiently delivering raw materials to our steel, construction and power generation customers throughout the Great Lakes,” said Interlake President Mark Barker. “We have proven the technology on our 800-foot traditional Laker and now we’re ready to scale up to our 1,000-foot class ships with our first installation on the James R. Barker.”

A total of five Interlake vessels – including two additional 1,000-footers: the M/V Paul R. Tregurtha and M/V Mesabi Miner - will be outfitted with these types of scrubbers by 2017.

Caterpillar Marine Power Systems is pleased to announce the development of the MaK™ M 34 DF, a new marine dual fuel engine platform for the commercial marine industry. Hamburg, Germany –cat.com 7/4/2013
M 34 DF dual fuel engine boasts a power rating of 500 kW per cylinder at 720 and 750 rpm in diesel and gas modes, and will share the same footprint as the highly successful M 32 C engine series. The M 34 DF will be capable of running on natural gas as an alternative to marine diesel oil or large and complex scrubber installations for Emission Control Areas (ECA) operation as of 2015. First engine deliveries are foreseen for October 2014.
“We’re pleased to continue to deliver on our commitment to bring innovative, efficient solutions to the commercial marine market,” said Carsten Seeburg, MaK product definition manager. “Our customers want a fuel-efficient, sustainable propulsion product with operational flexibility for both IMO and EPA regulated waters and we’re aiming to exceed their expectations with the M 34 DF engine.”

Caterpillar Marine Power Systems has secured EPA Tier 2 Certification of all MaK engine platforms with cylinder volumes of above 30 litres. Included in the certification are the M 32 C, M 43 C, M 46 DF as well as the recently announced M 34 DF engine platform. The certification of the broad range of MaK power solutions provides customers operating in the American market, specifically in the commercial and offshore marine markets, a wide spectrum of power nodes to meet emissions regulations on US flagged vessels.
“At Caterpillar, we recognize the needs of our customers to have flexible power solutions for any market, regardless of emissions regulations. We understand the market they are operating in is evolving in terms of environmental and performance requirements and strive to offer timely, innovative products that continue the Caterpillar legacy of proven performance,” Carsten Seeburg, Caterpillar Marine product definition manager said. “Building on that legacy is the recently introduced M 34 DF engine, which was designed and engineered based on high demand from our offshore customers.”
The M 34 DF dual fuel engine boasts a power rating of 500 kW per cylinder at 720 and 750 rpm in diesel and gas modes, and will share the same footprint as the highly successful M 32 C engine series. The M 34 DF will be capable of running on natural gas as an alternative to marine diesel oil or large and complex scrubber installations for Emission Control Areas (ECA) operation as of 2015. Driven by upcoming fuel sulfur and NOx regulations in ECA, the M 34 DF will provide full flexibility for vessels operating in regulated and/or lesser regulated areas without major changes to the engine room or exhaust gas system, supporting the ease and simplicity of engine installation and certification. Although designed for unlimited operation on LNG, marine diesel oil and heavy fuel oil, the M 34 DF will reach industry-leading efficiency in gas mode, while operating as EPA Tier 3 certified.
“The M 34 DF engine will provide customers familiar with the legendary M 32 C platform a sense of ease in operation as the two platforms feature not only the same footprint but a large amount of shared components,” Seeburg continued.
“The proven performance record of the M 32 C is well regarded throughout the industry with nearly 1,500 engines in the field populations. Vessel operators in the offshore segment, including platform supply vessels, anchor handling tug supply vessels and platform supply vessels, can confidently invest in the new M 34 dual fuel solution based on the success of the M 32 C.”

Driven by upcoming fuel sulfur and NOx regulations in ECA, the M 34 DF will provide full flexibility for vessels operating in regulated and/or lesser regulated areas without major changes to the engine room or exhaust gas system, supporting the ease and simplicity of engine installation and certification. Although designed for unlimited operation on LNG, marine diesel oil and heavy fuel oil, the M 34 DF will reach industry- leading efficiency in gas mode.
“It was important for us that M 34 DF and M 32 C share the same footprint features, and the same system interfaces. The M 34 DF was designed to provide operators with industry-leading thermal efficiency for lowest total cost of operation,” said Detlef Kirste, MaK product definition manager. “The engine offers optimized load response and load stability in addition to numerous support features, such as remote monitoring and engine system diagnostics, helping engine operators with their daily service and maintenance work. Our target was to keep the typical MaK marine engine attributes like reliability, safety and efficiency while striving for an engine design that is easy to service and maintain.”
With a bore of 340 millimeters and stroke of 460, the engine was designed to the preferred choice for gas electrical and mechanical propulsion applications notably in the offshore and cargo segments. The engine design features new real-time combustion monitoring, Flexible Camshaft Technology functionality as well as a lower valve train and several innovative monitoring and component solutions to ensure maximum safety during operation.
Caterpillar will offer its renowned service and support for the new MaK dual fuel engine, including installation and application, system integration support, as well as customer and crew training. The M 34 DF will be pass customer acceptance tests and classification approvals in Rostock, Germany and will be sold through Caterpillar’s MaK dealer network.
For more information about Caterpillar and MaK marine engines, please visit MARINE.CAT.COM/pr

Caterpillar Dual Fuel LNG Conversion on Furetank Rederi Tanker Tuesday August 4, 2015

Caterpillar says it is completing a dual fuel engine retrofit conversion for Furetank Rederi’s 472 foot tanker, Fure West.
Caterpillar Marine, a division of Caterpillar Inc. (Caterpillar), has announced that it is completing a dual fuel engine retrofit conversion for Furetank Rederi A/B's 472 foot tanker, Fure West, and will be supplying the complete gas system for the tanker, including bunker stations, two liquid natural gas (LNG) tanks, and the vaporizer.
The project, backed by the European Union and developed with the Zero Vision Tool, will see a MaK M 43 C diesel engine retrofitted in hull to the tanker's 7 cylinder M 46 dual fuel platform, each cylinder offering 900 kW of rated power.
"We're pleased to continue to build upon our successful track record of dual fual conversions in the commercial marine industry and offer an increased scope of supply to our customers," said Finn Vogler, a senior engineer at Caterpillar Marine.
"We have a market-ready technology available that our commercial marine customers can be completely confident in and after our success onboard the Coral Anthelia, we have seen the demand for MaK dual fuel solutions increase substantially."

Although the engine has been designed for unlimited operation on LNG, MDO and HFO, the company notes that the engine will reach industry-leading efficiency in gas mode.

Caterpillar Claims World's First In-Hull LNG Retrofit
Tuesday December 2, 2014
The retrofit was completed in less than six weeks on retrofit on the Anthony Veder-owned liquefued gas carrier, Coral Anthelia, Marine Link reports. The retrofit upgrades the Coral Anthelia's Caterpillar MaK 43 C diesel engine to become a six cylinder MaK M 46 DF dual-fuel engine. The new engine will be able to run fully on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), diesel or heavy fuel oil, though it is understood that the MaK M 46 DF will deliver optimal performance on LNG bunkers. In addition, the retrofit will allow greater flexibility over Emissions Control Area (ECA) compliance. "As an LNG carrier operating in waters impacted by SECA [ECA] regulations, the Coral Anthelia will be able to optimize its performance utilizing LNG, heavy fuel oil or diesel," said Karl Vollrath, Customer Services Manager for Caterpillar Marine.
Caterpillar Marine completed the project in under six weeks in conjunction with Dutch Caterpillar dealer Bolier. No modifications to the ship's structure were necessary, with the engine block remaining intact. The Dutch-flagged Coral Anthelia was built between 2013 and 2014 and is classified by Bureau Veritas with a liquefied gas cargo capacity of 6,500 cubic metres, according to the owner's website.

Dual fuel retrofits are said to offer significant savings for some operators, with Canada's BC Ferries recently saying it will save over $8 million per year after retrofits to two of its ferries are complete.

Hamburg-based marine engine builder Caterpillar Marine is completing the dual fuel engine retrofit conversion on the 472-foot Fure West tanker, owned by Furetank Rederi A/B, which will enable the vessel to run on liquefied natural gas (LNG).

After conversion, scheduled to be completed by the end of 2015, the Fure West will continue trading in the Northern European Emission Control Area (ECA), employed by Furetank Chartering.

The MaK M 43 C diesel engine onboard the tanker will be retrofitted in hull to the 7 cylinder M 46 dual fuel platform, with each cylinder offering 900 kW of rated power. Additionally, Caterpillar is also supplying the complete gas system for the tanker, including bunker stations, 2x LNG tanks measuring 4.15 meters by 24 meters and the vaporizer. This project, backed by the European Union and developed with the Zero Vision Tool, will mark the second MaK engine dual fuel retrofit for Caterpillar.

In 2014, Caterpillar successfully completed the dual fuel engine retrofit conversion on the Anthony Veder Coral Anthelia LNG carrier.
”We’re pleased to continue to build upon our successful track record of dual fual conversions in the commercial marine industry and offer an increased scope of supply to our customers,” said Finn Vogler, Caterpillar Marine senior engineer. ”We have a market-ready technology available that our commercial marine customers can be completely confident in and after our success onboard the Coral Anthelia, we have seen the demand for MaK dual fuel solutions increase substantially.”

Canada First Dual Fuel Vessel July 18, 2016
LNG Bunkering Vessel Helengi Newly Unveiled June 11 2016	Ternsund fitted with WinGD technology DF 6/2016
World's First Conversion of a High-Speed Ro-Pax to LNG Propulsion 5/24/16	NASSCO lays keel for LNG ready ECO tanker MAY 31, 2016
Norwegian Fish Food Carrier to Run on LNG Shell Deploys Third LNG powered OSV	Finland Breaks the Ice on LNG Polaris undergoing outfitting at Arctech Helsinki Shipyard in January

Construction of First US LNG Bunker Barge Underway	ABB Delivers Equipment For LNG Ice-Going Carrier

Perla_del_Caribe the second of two LNG-fueled Marlin Class ships built by General Dynamics NASSCO for Tote, launched at NASSCO’s yard in San Diego.	Compact LNG Ferry Design Deltamarin

LNG bulker trials validate seawater lubrication	Keel of Tallink's new LNG Powered Fast Ferry Laid

Shearer Group to support LNG towboat conversion marine air quality study conversion of an inland towboat to dual fuel diesel/liquid natural gas (LNG) Wartsilas Debuts Mobile LNG Power Generation Construction of First US LNG Bunker Barge Underway LNG Carriers Ordered for US Shale Gas Transport Compact LNG Ferry Design Deltamarin First LNG Bunkering Operation on Seagoing Vessel Port of Antwerp Breakthrough_for_Very_Large_Ethane_Carriers	Wartsila Propulsion for LNG Bunker Vessel A 5,800-cubic-meter LNG bunker and feeder vessel, for Sirius Veder Gas AB powered by a Wärtsilä propulsion solution. In-hull Dual Fuel Engine Conversion Industry First Oct 26, 2015 General Dynamics NASSCO and TOTE announce Isla Bella, world’s first LNG-powered containership Breakthrough_for_Very_Large_Ethane_Carriers Japan First LNG fueled Vessel to Serve Yokohama, Kawasaki Ports Perla_del_Caribe the second of two LNG-fueled Marlin Class ships