Feature 4 | NORWAY Höegh gets ahead of the LNG market
Recent moves towards the fuel of the future has brought liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the forefront, but Höegh LNG saw the fuel’s potential before this recent surge and has already started to develop a fleet of vessels and is following the market development closely.
T
he development of shuttle and regasification vessels started back in 2001, where Höegh
TECHNICAL PARTICULARS GDF Suez Neptune/Cape Ann
Length oa: ............................................283m Breadth moulded: ..............................43.4m Design draft: ........................................11.4m Deadweight (design): .................70,800dwt Cargo capacity: ..........................145,000m3 Propulsion:
.........................Singlescrew with twin propulsion motors, powered by four dual-fuel diesel electric generators
Propulsion system output: ............26.150kW /88rpm
Service knots: ................................ 19.5knots Main engines:...................................Wärtsilä Electric motors/drive: .............................ABB Gas combustion unit: ...............Hamworthy combustion
LNG cargo pumps: ............................ Shinko Cargo heater/vaporiser:
...............Cryostar Inert gas generator:
..............................SMIT Nitrogen generator:
..............Air generator Regasification plant: ................Hamworthy Gas production pumps:
....................Nikkiso Custody transfer system: ........... Kongsberg Automation: ............................... Kongsberg Propeller:
...............................................MMG Bow thrusters:
...................................Brunvoll Stern thrusters:
..................................Brunvoll Shipbuilder:
.....Samasung Heavy Industries Ship owner: ...............Höegh LNG and MOL Ship operator: ...........................Höegh LNG Technical manager: .................Höegh LNG Flag:
...........................................................NIS Year built:............. GDF Suez Neptune 2009 GDF Suez Cape Anne 2010
Containment system:
.............Mark III-super reinforced
Class: ...................................................... DNV Intended sphere of operations: ...............World wide trade
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realised the market potential and future for this type of technology. Since then Höegh LNG has been expanding from shuttle and regasification vessels (SRV) into floating storage and regasification units (FRSUs) and deep water port projects, where the company now has licenses in place for deep water ports in the UK and USA. Further, Höegh has also developed its own LNG FPSO. “The SRV development , and
investment, is one piece in the LNG value chain, and through the development over the past years we are now in a position to offer services within the whole LNG value chain,” said Rune E. Karlsen, Project Manager - Project Execution, Höegh LNG AS. Höegh LNG has received delivery of
its second SRV GDF Suez Cape Ann in June last year, which will join the first of the series GDF Suez Neptune that was delivered in 2009, both constructed at Samsung Heavy Industries. The vessels are on long term charter to GDF Suez and are fully capable of world wide operation both as a conventional LNG carrier, and as an SRV and also FSRU mode and can also operate in cold climates. “The SRV is part of Höegh LNG’s
overall strategy, and we are of the opinion that being innovative brings added value to the LNG industry,” comments Mr Karlsen. Höegh LNG believes the SRVs
bring the LNG market offshore and so eliminating the need for onshore terminals. The vessels operate in the Neptune deep water port terminal offshore Boston, in masachusetts bay, USA. Operating in this area requires compliance with rigorous environmental requirements, amongst the strictest in the world, highlights Mr Karlsen. To operate in this environment the SRVs are equipped with submerged turret
loading system (STL). The STL system enables the SRVs to deliver natural gas directly into a consumer grid. Te vessels have electric propulsion
with dual fuel power generators with high fuel efficiency. When operating on gas, the CO2
as well as NOx emissions are
reduced, and the emissions of SOx and particulate matter (PM) are taken out. Te generators are fitted with selective catalytic reduction units (SCRs) reducing the NOx emission even more – down to 0.2g/kWh. By comparison, the current International Maritime Organization (IMO) requirement for the same sized engines is 13g/kWh. Te power generators also have oxidation catalyst reducing the CO emissions to below 0.165g/kWh. Te regasification boiler, producing steam for the closed loop regasification, have low NOx burners, and in addition they are both fitted with SCR’s reducing the NOx emissions significantly, states Mr Karlsen. In addition, the regasification
process is in closed loop, i.e. it is no intake of seawater and, therefore, no risk of marine life being taken into the process system and no discharge of cold seawater affecting the marine life. The seawater used for cooling of the engines is re-circulated in the ballast tanks of the vessel. This eliminates the risk of marine life being sucked into the engine cooling system, and also eliminates the discharge of used cooling water. GDF Suez Cape Ann and GDF Suez
Neptune meets DNV’s COMFORT class, resulting in low noise and vibration onboard; improving the working conditions onboard, reducing the risk of fatigue related accidents impacting the environment. The low noise and vibration also reduces the impact on marine life, in particular marine mammals. The vessels have dynamic positioning (DP Class I) contributing
The Naval Architect January 2011
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