LNG

Sea-LNG, a global coalition led by energy and shipping companies backing the increased use of liquefied natural gas as a maritime fuel, has issued a report demonstrating the long-term competitive advantages of LNG for shipping in terms of financing.

March 19 (LNGJ) - WE Tech Solutions of Finland, the shipping consultancy and equipment provider offering  energy efficiency designs, has received a repeat order from Jiangnan Shipyard Group Co. in China to deliver its “Solution Four” package for efficient power distribution for the third new battery and LNG-powered Pure Car Truck Carrier (PCTC) ordered by United European Car Carriers (UECC). WE Tech was previously contracted by Jiangnan Shipyard to deliver the same solution to a series of two PCTC vessels of UECC.

   The WE Tech Solution Four includes WE Drive, Direct Drive Permanent Magnet Shaft Generator, DC-link power distribution, an Energy Storage System (ESS) and the Energy Management System (EMS). WE Tech said this would place UECC’s new vessels beyond the International Maritime Organization’s target for a 40 percent reduction in carbon intensity by 2030.  “We take this repeat order as shipowner and shipyard’s acknowledgement of our reliable and highly environmental-sustainable solutions,” said Martin Andtfolk, Sales Manager of WE Tech.

The German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) is expected to will take delivery soon of the LNG -powered 75-metres long survey vessel “Atair”.

The newbuild features propulsion and manoeuvring systems from the German Schottel Group.

These included a Schottel Pump Jet type SPJ 220 (1,000 kW), one Schottel Transverse Thruster type STT 1 FP (330 kW) in the bow and one Schottel Transverse Thruster type STT 170 FP (200 kW) in the stern.

The research vessel was being completed at the Fassmer yard on the west bank of the Weser river, 25 kilometres northwest of the North Sea port of Bremen, for handover to the BSH.

The LNG-fueled ship has a large 130 cubic-metre tank onboard which enables the ship to run on LNG alone for 10 days. 

“When opting for diesel operation (dual fuel), high-quality diesel fuel oil with a sulphur content less than 0.1 percent is used,” said Fassmer.

Hamburg-based LNG supplier Nauticor took care of the purchase and transport of the LNG for the first filling of the tanks of the “Atair” and assisted Fassmer with the first fuel load.

Nauticor also ensured LNG supply during the entire testing phase and the successful initial bunkering of the “Atair” in February 2020.

The ship is to be put into service in the first half of 2020 to replace the previous “Atair”. 

Equipment onboard includes several laboratories, a station for measuring air pollution while at sea, a crane, a bridle beam for geological activities on the seabed, a large 200s square metres work deck and extensive diving equipment, including a diving chamber.

The vessel’s underwater noise has been optimised to meet the DNV Silent Class Notation (SILENT R). The Schottel propulsion units are also designed to have low noise emissions.

The French CMA CGM shipping group, one of the world’s largest container vessel operators with over 500 ships, has attended the launching of the first of its series of nine 23,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) vessels powered by liquefied natural gas to meet new emission requirements and with technology additions on the bridge and elsewhere..

GTT, the French maritime LNG storage technology company, has received an order from the Chinese Jiangnan Shipyard for the tank designs for five new LNG-fuelled container ships of 15,000 TEU capacity each.