Americas News
Dual-fuel Ro-Ro Ferry in Sea Trials
The world's first ro-ro ferry powered primarily by liquefied natural gas (LNG) has started sea trials, maritime technology site The Motorship reports.
"This is the way that the industry is moving, we are confident that LNG is the way to go in the future," said Robert Clifford, chairman of Incat Crowther, which designed the dual-fuel fast ferry for Argentinean ferry operator Buquebus.
The ferry, Lopez Mena, uses a GE LM2500 gas turbine engine and has so far exceeded 50 knots at full power and maintained a speed of 49 knots at 90 percent power while using marine distillate.
Clifford said the company is working on the switch arrangement between diesel and LNG, a process that will be fully computerised.
He said the vessel will use diesel while idling but will automatically switch to LNG when using more than 10 percent power and will operate on LNG for 95 to 98 percent of each voyage.
"This is an environmentally sensitive boat, it's much better than all that have gone before and the cost is considerably less in South America," Clifford said.
"Although the uptake of LNG has not been determined yet across Europe, we think that in four to five years it will be in common use."
Lopez Mena will operate on the River Plate between Argentina and Uruguay.
Incat Crowther also designed a fast ferry for U.S. ferry operator Rhode Island Fast Ferry that reduced fuel use by 30 percent.
