By
Rebecca Gibson |
Rolls-Royce has signed a memorandum of understanding with Spanish shipping company Baleària to design gas-powered propulsion systems for three of its high-speed ferries, which currently run on diesel.
Baleària, which operates ferry services between the Spanish mainland and the Balearic Islands, in the Strait of Gibraltar and The Bahamas Islands, is set to convert Ramon Llull, Jaume II and Jaume III from diesel to liquefied natural gas (LNG).
“This is a strategic agreement for the future of the company. The change in fuels will allow us to have high-speed, more competitive vessels available and, at the same time, be more respectful towards the environment, given that this fuel reduces a quarter of carbon dioxide emissions,” said Adolfo Utor, Baleària’s CEO.
Rolls-Royce will work with Baleària to develop efficient propulsion systems for the vessels, which are a mix of catamaran and mono-hull design with water jet propulsion.
“There is no doubt that popularity of LNG as a marine fuel is increasing, as stricter emission controls and higher fuel costs continue to drive the strategic decisions of shipping companies,” said Neil Gilliver, president-merchant at Rolls-Royce. “This is our first LNG project in Spain, which joins a growing list of countries where operators are keen to investigate the potential applications for a marine fuel that will reduce emissions and reduce operating costs.”