Deltamarin Partners with Industry Players to Design LNG Powered Bulk Carrier

Jacques Danton of GTT says it's “time for the shipping industry to move forward and embrace the potential of gas-fuelled merchant ships.”

Deltamarin Ltd. (Deltamarin) says it is working with Arista Shipping S.A. (Arista Shipping), American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), and Gaztransport & Technigaz (GTT) on a design for an liquified natural gas (LNG) propelled bulk carrier through an initiative known as Project Forward.

Arista Shipping is understood to be leading the project, which intends to develop a commercially feasible LNG-powered vessel that is able to meet the International Maritime Organization's (IMO's) Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) 2025 standards, as well as Marpol Annex VI SOx emission levels.

Deltamarin notes that research shows that emission reductions of 40 percent for CO2, 80 percent for NOx, and 98 percent for SOx can be expected to be realised through Project Forward.

"It is time for the shipping industry to move forward and embrace the potential of gas-fuelled merchant ships," said Jacques Danton, GTT's Vice President LNG as Fuel division.

"At this time, we can recognise market leaders launching LNG projects now in order to be the first on the learning curve.

"During the ramp up phase of LNG as fuel, autonomy will be a key feature for integrated solutions as provided by membrane technology."

The design is said to be based on Deltamarin's B.Delta design for ships between 82,000 DWT and 210,000 DWT, and using GTT's LNG containment system, which uses membrane fuel tanks.

The project will also look to develop an LNG fuel retrofit solution for the existing bulk carrier fleet.

"Owners must decide within the next 5-10 years whether gas as fuel is a practical means of compliance with lower emissions standards and this project will enable all of us to understand its feasibility," said Patrick Janssens, Vice President of Global Gas Solutions for ABS.

In September, Deltamarin announced that it launched its new LNG powered "DeltaLinx" compact ferry design, at the BaltExpo 2015 exhibition in Gdańsk, Poland.