Total informed that its first large LNG bunker vessel has been launched, after the signature of a long-term charter contract between Total and MOL in February 2018.The ship will be delivered in 2020, and it will operate in Northern Europe, supplying LNG to commercial vessels for a period of at least 10 years.
As early as 2021, AIDA Cruises will be the first cruise company to test the use of fuel cells on a large passenger ship, under the ‘Pa-X-ell2’ research project on board of AIDAnova. The project aims to develop a decentralized energy network and a hybrid energy system with a new generation of fuel cells for use in oceangoing passenger vessels.
A possible change in LNG market seems to be taking place, according to Olivia Watkins, VesselsValue, adding that the next few years for will be an interesting time for both China and the LNG sector. 2018/2019 faces positive developments in the LNG sector, which are forecast to continue until the end of 2019 and into 2020.
UECC announced that it has confirmed an option with China Ship Building Trading Co., Ltd and Jiangnan Shipyard Group Co. Ltd. for a third battery hybrid LNG vessel. The ship is expected to operate in UECC’s Atlantic short sea trade.
Krishna Achuthanandam, Business Development Manager DLNG, Shell, talks about LNG, during a DNV GL webinar, explaining what LNG can offer, and why it is a viable solution for shipping to achieve decarbonization. Mr. Achuthanandam mentioned that regarding the environmental benefits LNG is the only scalable, low-carbon fuel available today, that helps us head towards carbon neutrality in shipping.
Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) informed that it received design approval from Bureau Veritas (BV) for its LNG cargo containment system. DSME has already obtained approvals from Lloyd’s Register, the US Bureau of Shipping, the Korea Register of Shipping, and DNV GL.
On September 16, VT Halter Marine, Pascagoula, hosted a naming ceremony for US’s first LNG articulated tug/barge (ATB) unit. Q-LNG Transport LLC awarded had granted the contract to VT Halter Marine to build the ship in November 2017. The barge will be named Q-LNG 4000 and the tug, Q-Ocean Service.
MOL participated in the LNG bunkering trial at the Port of Kobe, organized by the Kobe City Port and Harbor Authority, and conducted bunkering on the LNG-fueled tugboat Ishin. This marks the first LNG bunkering in the Port of Kobe. The successful trial confirmed that LNG fuel can be effectively supplied safely at the Port.
SEA\LNG published the results of a new alternative fuels study, finding that LNG is the most mature, scalable, and commercially viable alternative fuel currently available for the maritime industry. The study was conducted by DNV GL. The study concluded that while there are several lower or zero carbon alternative fuels that could assist in complying with IMO 2030 and 2050 GHG reduction targets.
Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) aspires to convince the Malaysian government to provide incentives in order to support the use of cleaner fuels in the maritime industry, according to vice president LNG marketing and trading, Ahmad Adly Alias.
