Astillero Sestao Shipyard Developing New LNG Design
Astillero Sestao shipyard is developing a new 148,000 m3 LNG design, which will represent a step ahead in gas carriers. A CSI containment system has been selected for the project as the latest state of the art in membrane technology, that in fact gathers together the best features of previous membrane systems. Machinery arrangement consists on two independent propulsion plants with slow speed diesel engines whose operation is combined with a redundant re-liquefaction plant. This concept has proved several advantages over different propulsion configurations after comprehensive comparisons among them. The advantages are mainly economical but also operational and environmental. The re-liquefaction technology allows the boil-off gas to be compressed and re-injected again into the cargo tanks, so that a cheaper fuel like Heavy Fuel Oil can be used for propulsion. After many years of development and several model plants under operation, this has proven to be a definitive and reliable technology that will mark the future, Astillero Sestao technical team claims. Astillero Sestao shipyard has been also involved in researching different technologies for LNG vaporization and their suitability for aboard installation on the deck of an LNG carrier.These studies have focused on the way in which the specific systems required such as Dynamic Positioning, Submerged Turret System, Regasification Plant, etc, can be integrated into a conventional LNG design. Special problems in relation with the discharge to floating terminals and their solutions have been studied, such as partial fillings in cargo tanks or the response to steam turbine durins dynamic positioning operation. Astillero Sestao shipyard currently is heavily involved in a series of other innovative projects related to gas transport under pressure.