By
Rebecca Gibson |
Marine solutions and system integration provider Høglund and HB Hunte Engineering are to retrofit six Hurtigruten passenger ships with biogas-ready fuel-gas supply systems (FGSS).
Høglund Gas Solutions will provide fully customised and integrated tanks and FGSS solutions that will be optimised to run on both LNG and liquified biogas (LBG), which is a fossil-free, renewable gas produced from organic waste. HB Hunte will provide mechanical gas engineering and gas tank design.
Hurtigruten will use the bespoke FGSS solutions in tandem with large battery packs onboard its vessels, making them the first large passenger vessels in the world to have been converted to run on LBG. This is expected to set a new benchmark for low-carbon emissions in the cruise sector.
“With 25 years of experience in the field of marine automation and system integration, Høglund has an unrivalled track record in creating gas control and safety solutions and has already proven itself adept in creating systems that can keep pace with the rapid development of the LNG-fuelled fleet,” said Peter Morsbach, director of Projects at Høglund Gas Solutions. “However, as the global fleet continues to grow and diversify, industry-wide collaboration will be vital in delivering the gas solutions required to provide safety and reliability in the long term. This project is a perfect example of the challenges the change in the sector presents.”
HB Hunte and Høglund will work closely together throughout the project to ensure they meet the necessary safety requirements for tank placement.
“When it comes to retrofitting, a passenger ship is fundamentally different to any other vessel, mostly because of the size and complexity of its design,” said Frerk Brand, managing director of HB Hunte. “Due to the number of people onboard, a strong focus on safety will be vital throughout this project, as will the ability to work quickly and efficiently as any retrofit involves taking the ship temporarily out of service. Our partnership with Høglund will allow us to not only overcome these challenges, but also to build something that is truly unique and built to last.”