By
Richard Humphreys |
Three marine technology companies: WinGD; Wärtsilä; and GTT, have agreed to collaborate in making the use of LNG (liquefied natural gas) fuel a viable option for ship owners and operators.
By combining their expertise and experience, they aim to deliver an effective, streamlined approach for achieving compliance with environmental legislation.
LNG fuel is considered a key enabler of green propulsion for ships. It has virtually no sulphur content, produces 80% less nitrogen oxide and 30% less carbon dioxide emissions than conventional marine fuels, and is competitively priced. With LNG being more widely available and accessible, it has become a feasible green fuel option.
In 2017, a notable advance in the acceptance of LNG as a marine fuel was recorded with an order by the CMA CGM Group for nine ‘mega’ containerships, each with a record capacity of 22,000 TEU (twenty-foot-equivalent), to be built with LNG-fuelled engines. These will be the first vessels of this type and size to operate on LNG. WinGD, Wärtsilä, and GTT cooperated closely in providing the required equipment for these vessels, and it was through this shared expertise that the industry-shaping collaboration was born.
“High efficiency and environmental sustainability are key pillars in building a successful future for shipping,” said Rolf Stiefel, vice president sales and marketing at WinGD “This is why it’s so important to work together, with other industry leaders, to make ship propulsion as efficient and ‘green’ as possible.”
“There is a wind of change blowing throughout the global marine industry. The conservative barriers that once resisted switching to a new fuel are falling down, and LNG is now being accepted as a fuel for all types of ships. Through collaboration with other industry leaders, we aim to speed this process,” said Timo Koponen, vice president of processing solutions at Wärtsilä.
“Operating on LNG fuel requires close integration between the engines, the fuel cargo tanks, and the fuel supply and control system,” said Philippe Berterottière, chairman and CEO of GTT. “We are three companies having expertise in these fields, and by cooperating together we can optimise this integration process to the benefit of owners and operators around the world.”