Gas Fuel News

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), the provider of classification, technical, and regulatory services for the marine industry, launched the industry’s first LNG Cargo Ready notation.The development was announced at a joint event with GTT, highlighting progress towards delivering “LNG Cargo Ready” ethane carriers.The ABS LNG Cargo Ready notation confirms that an ethane carrier is capable of future modification to trade LNG cargoes. ABS is the first classification society to develop…

American Ethane Company (AEC) is collaborating with ABS, the global provider of classification and technical advisory services to the marine and offshore industries, on a next generation fleet of Ultra Large Ethane Carriers (ULEC).ABS is actively supporting AEC and its shipping project partners, who will build, own and operate a fleet of ULECs to transport 7.2 MTPA of US ethane to China.“ABS is a world leader in the classification of gas carriers and classes the majority of the large ethane carriers built to date…

ABS, the global provider of classification and technical advisory services to the marine and offshore industries, announced that it is collaborating with South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) on a next generation LNG carrier in a joint development project (JDP) signed today at Gastech 2019.“ABS is a leader in gas carriers with a proud record of supporting innovation, delivering operational efficiencies and advancing the cause of safety. This exciting project with SHI for a state-of-the-art vessel represents the next step in that journey…

Japanese shipping major Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) and the shipbuilding and repairing company Namura Shipbuilding have jointly received an Approval in Principle (AIP) for the concept design of an LNG-fueled ore carrier from DNV GL."Work on this joint project for the development of an LNG-fueled ore carrier has complied with both environmental and actual operation requirements as follows, based on the second generation WOZMAX of Namura Shipyard," said a press release from the provider of container…

ABS and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. (MOL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on up to 14 new gas carriers.The agreement covers seven new-build Very Large Ethane Carriers (VLEC) and up to seven new-build Liquefied Natural Gas Carriers (LNGC) designed to carry gas from the U.S. to China and other global markets.ABS will provide plan review, survey, inspection and other classification services for vessels, machinery and equipment as well as assist with managing the requirements for foreign flag carriers calling at U.S.

As Alfa Laval Aalborg boiler solutions celebrate 100 years in the marine industry, Alfa Laval is delivering multi-fuel Aalborg boiler solutions and helping customers prepare existing boiler systems for tomorrow’s fuel scenarios.A century ago, when the first marine boiler left the Aalborg Shipyard in Aalborg, Denmark, there were no regulations governing fuel content or vessel emissions.Much has changed in this regard since 1919, and the industry now faces further sharp demands from the 2020 global sulphur cap.

An Alfa Laval Smit Combustion system (FU type) is now installed at the Alfa Laval Test & Training Center in Aalborg, Denmark. The system, which adds inert gas production to the center’s already comprehensive range of full-scale vessel applications, will ensure that Alfa Laval remains at the forefront of developing and optimizing inert gas systems.Inaugurated in 2014, the Alfa Laval Test & Training Center is essentially a full-sized machine room on land, with equipment from all of Alfa Laval’s marine product groups installed in process lines as they would be on a commercial vessel.

ABS Launches New Guide for Liquefied Gas Tank Barges with Remote Control and Monitoring of Essential Systems; outlines requirements for design and construction of unmanned barges equipped with various degrees of automation. ABS released guidance to assist shipyards and barge operators:  The Guide for Building and Classing Liquefied Gas Tank Barges with Remote Control and Monitoring of Essential Systems.The Guide provides requirements for the design and construction of barges equipped with various degrees of automation…

ABS signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Korea Marine Equipment Research Institute (KOMERI) to create a new facility dedicated to improving the safety of LNG as fuel.ABS and KOMERI will collaborate on research at the shoreside facility, which will allow shipowners to safely test fuel gas and bunkering systems, under actual loading conditions, prior to installation onboard.“ABS is proud to partner with KOMERI on this important facility, which will help ensure safe and effective testing of new equipment and ultimately advance adoption of LNG…

Baleària shipping company, based in Dénia and a world pioneer in the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as fuel, has launched Marie Curie, its new smart ship with LNG engines.The launching ceremony took place at Cantiere Navale Visentini in Italy. The newbuilding is the company’s first ferry fueled by LNG that will operate in the Mediterranean.Marie Curie is one of two dual-fuel, gas-powered ferries being built at the yard, located near Venice. The sister vessel, Hypatia de Alejandria, is also nearing completion.

The large-capacity Aframax tanker "Gagarin Prospect", owned by Russia's SCF Group,  successfully implementated  construction and operation commencement  using LNG as the primary fuel.Konstantin G. Palnikov, Director General of Russian Maritime Register of Shipping, participated in a protocol event dedicated to this project.This pioneered the expansion of LNG fuel into the global shipping industry, for large-capacity ships not tied to fixed routes or set timetables.The specialized LNG bunkering ship Cardissa…

The sulfur emission control areas (SECAs) in place in North-America and Northern Europe, in combination with the upcoming global 0.5% limit on sulfur in 2020 (or 2025) and similar EU limits in 2020, call for alternative fuels as a means for compliance. Several alternative fuels are available and, at the same time, new fuel oil products with very low sulfur content have been introduced.In this respect, the ability of the new MAN ME-LGIP engine to run on LPG, which is a sulfur-free fuel…

Wärtsilä’s 31DF dual-fuel engine, which emphasizes outstanding efficiency, extremely economical fuel consumption and minimal emissions, has been selected to power a new polar ice-class luxury cruise vessel is being built for the France-based operator Ponant at Vard Søviknes, a part of VARD shipbuilding group in Norway.Because the 150-meter-long ship will operate in environmentally sensitive Arctic and Antarctic waters, it will operate primarily on LNG. Wärtsilä’s advanced technologies…

New Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data highlights the important contribution the oil and gas industry and liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports are playing in supporting the ongoing growth of Australia’s economy.According to a press statement from Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA), oil and gas extraction value-added figures increased by 10.8 per cent in 2017-18 compared with 2016-17, to reach a record $30 billion.APPEA Chief Executive Dr Malcolm…

ABS has confirmed  that the ABS-classed Diamond Gas Orchid, the world’s first "Sayaringo STaGE" next generation LNG carrier, has been delivered to Diamond LNG Shipping, a joint venture between Mitsubishi Corporation and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK). Ordered by Diamond LNG Shipping through MI LNG Company, Ltd., constructed by Nagasaki-based Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Marine Structure Co., Ltd. and delivered by Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., the innovative carrier introduces…

Spirit of British Columbia, one of two BC Ferries vessels that will use liquefied natural gas (LNG) as fuel, has finished conversion at the Remontowa Ship Repair Yard S.A. in Gdansk, Poland and has returned to service for the Canadian operator.The 1993-built ro-pax ferry Spirit of British Columbia was the first to undergo conversion while its sister vessel, the Spirit of Vancouver Island, is expected to complete conversion during the spring of 2019. The 550-foot ABS-classed vessels are the largest ships in the BC Ferries fleet with a capacity to carry 2…

The world’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) fueled bulk carrier, the 50,000 dwt newbuild Ilshin Green Iris, is powered by state-of-the-art technology from MAN Diesel & Turbo. The groundbreaking vessel, delivered in February 2018 for owner Ilshin Logistics, was constructed by South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) as part of a project announced in July 2016 to develop the first in a new generation of environmentally-friendly LNG-fueled bulk carriers. A single MAN B&W 6G50ME-GI two-stroke engine powers the 191-meter bulk carrier…

Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) and ILSHIN LOGISTICS delivered the world’s first LNG-fueled bulk carrier under the dual-class of Lloyd’s Register (LR) and Korean Register. The 50,000 dwt bulk carrier has also been verified to be in compliance with the International Gas Fuel (IGF) Code. The vessel is the result of a collaboration project, announced in July 2016, to develop the first in a new generation of environmentally-friendly LNG-fueled bulk carriers. The ship has a Type ‘C’ LNG fuel tank with a capacity of 500m³, made of austenitic high manganese steel and located on the aft mooring deck.

ABS, a leading provider of classification and technical services to the global marine and offshore industries, granted Approval in Principle (AIP) for a new very large ethane carrier (VLEC) concept developed by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co., Ltd. “As demand for different types of liquefied gases increases, concepts like this will expand the infrastructure and enable more efficient transportation to get products to market,” says ABS Vice President for Global Gas Solutions Patrick Janssens.

ABS, a leading provider of classification and technical services to the marine and offshore industries, was selected by Q-LNG, LLC, to class an Articulated Tug Barge (ATB) for LNG bunkering in North America. The vessel is scheduled to begin construction at VT Halter Marine in Pascagoula, Mississippi, in early 2018. “This project represents another significant milestone for the region in the continued development of LNG infrastructure in North America, helping the maritime industry meet stricter emissions requirements,” says ABS Chairman, President and CEO, Christopher J. Wiernicki.

The world’s first container feeder vessel refit to use natural gas was commissioned in late August in Bremerhaven, ushering in a new era in the use of alternative fuels across the global maritime sector. The container vessel Wes Amelie, owned by Wessels Reederei, Haren/Ems, was converted for the use of methane as a standard fuel at the German Dry Docks Shipyard in Bremerhaven, making it the world’s first of its kind vessel which consumes environmentally friendly methane. This conversion is more than simply another environmentally advanced ship…

A primer on the way forward for alternative fuels for marine propulsion. By now, many of us have been passed by a garbage truck, taken a ride on an airport bus or hailed a taxi cab that is clearly labeled by their respective marketing departments that these vehicles are powered by clean burning natural gas. Even now in our own maritime industry, some trendy operators are looking to make the case for liquefied natural gas (LNG) propulsion systems, others are opting for hybrid-electric solutions, and some are even aiming for full electric configurations.

The global LNG bunkering market  is expected to witness a CAGR of 62.5%, and is projected to reach USD 24684.7 million by 2023, said a report by Energias Market Research. The key factors driving the growth of LNG bunkering market are  increase in LNG  demand in order to reduce the carbon footprint in the shipping industry stringent international emission policy, the best cost-effective alternative fuel and significant rise in government initiatives supporting LNG adoption. LNG Bunkering is the practice of providing liquefied natural gas fuel to a ship for its own consumption.