fuels
››› centres, makes LNG an attractive way to reduce harmful local emissions.” Pioneering owner Gerard Deen believes that
the dual-fuel principle is a way of reducing emissions, and says that LR was ‘very pragmatic in finding solutions to convert seagoing regulations into inland shipping rules regarding dual fuel’.
Along with LR, the Netherlands Shipping Inspectorate approved the tanker’s LNG system for operation in The Netherlands. Regulatory approvals have also been sought from the Central Commission for Navigating on the Rhine and the UN-ECE ADN Safety Committee to enable navigation beyond the Netherlands. Built in Rotterdam by Shipyard Trico BV, the
110m-long Argonon entered service and started operating on gas in mid-December last year following final main engine tests. LNG fuel is stored in a deck-mounted tank supplied by Amsterdam-based Cryonorm Projects, providing sufficient capacity for a round trip from Rotterdam to Basel and back without bunkering. Propulsive power is provided by two Caterpillar DF3512 high speed engines, each rated at 1,115kW. The dual-fuel system of the V12-cylinder 3500-series engine is configured to burn an 80/20 mixture of natural gas and diesel oil. “We are currently providing technical and regulatory guidance for 20 confirmed or proposed inland waterway applications
that intend to use LNG as fuel,” reports Bas Joormann, LR’s West European Area inland waterway product manager.
“There is a lot of interest, and for good reason. Inland waterways, like ferries in emission control areas, are very suitable for LNG. But the regulatory regime is different. We are helping owners and governmental bodies to identify the risks and manage them to at least the level of safety provided by existing fuel management and combustion requirements.” • The 2007-built 25,000 dwt Swedish product tanker Bit Viking returned to service at end- October with an LNG-fuelled propulsion plant after a project to convert the original twin six-cylinder Wärtsilä 46 medium speed diesel engines to 50DF dual-fuel specification. The recommissioned
Tarbit Shipping vessel is
operated on behalf of Statoil along the length of the Norwegian coast, from Oslo to Kirkenes. The conversion enabled the operator to qualify for lower NOx emission taxes under the Norwegian NOx fund scheme, a co-operative effort whereby participating companies may apply for financial support in return for introducing NOx reducing measures. The initial post-conversion results showed that NOx emissions were cut by 90 per cent.
Operation on LNG rather than the heavy fuel oil previously used also resulted in greenhouse gas
emissions reduced by 20-25 per cent, Bit Viking, back in business with LNG-fuelled propulsion
particulate matter emissions by 99 per cent and SOx emissions entirely eliminated. Apart from converting the engines and providing related control systems, Wärtsilä’s commitments included gas fuel storage and supply systems with associated piping, and carrying out modifications to all ship systems affected by the conversion. The tanker’s classification certificate was also updated, the project representing the first LNG-fuelled vessel to be classed by Germanischer Lloyd. As a world-first, the project called for special attention on how to interpret the relevant class rules and how the flag administration would understand and accept the risk analysis. “Special attention was given to the process and how it
bunkering performed, since this should be is a critical operation
An LNGPac storage and supply system on the foredeck of Bit Viking; bunkering was carried out successfully from a shore facility at Risavika, south of Stavanger in Norway
124 I Marine Propulsion I February/March 2012
and requires special expertise and equipment,” explains GL business development manager Ronnie-Torsten Westerman. Wärtsilä’s LNGPac system is based on a pair of 500m3 capacity LNG fuel storage tanks mounted on the foredeck to facilitate bunkering at a rate of 430 m3/h. The tanks provide the vessel with 12 days of autonomous operation on LNG at 80 per cent load; an option to switch to marine gas oil facilitates an extended range if required. When calling at EU ports, which impose a 0.1 per cent limit on sulphur emissions, the tanker operates on gas. MP
www.mpropulsion.com
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