Norway's Statoil has called upon shipbuilder Kleven Verft to construct a pair of 309-ft. (94.3-m) supply ships that will run on LNG. The vessels, which are scheduled for completion during 2003, and operated by Statoil, will be contracted from Eidesvik and Møkster Shipping. According to Knut Barland, Statoil's vice president for Environment, the LNG power concept is expected to cut the vessels' nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by 85 percent; annual emissions are expected to be lowered by 420 tons. Why would a company knowingly add $6 million to the construction price of a new vessel, and more than $1 million per year in operating costs? The answer is a multi-faceted one, but basically it comes down to environmental responsibility.
