Rolls-Royce to Supply Pure-Gas LNG Engine for Spanish Ferry

The Rolls-Royce engine will provide 1,560kWe of "clean power"

Rolls-Royce Friday announced it will supply a pure-gas engine for Baleària-owned ferry Abel Matutes, a move which Baleària says will allow it to reduce its bunker costs.

Rolls-Royce has teamed up with Spain's Gas Natural Fenosa to develop a pure-gas engine and install it aboard the 2010-built, 29,670 deadweight tonne RoPax ferry.

The UK company will supply a Rolls-Royce Bergen C26:33 L6 AG auxiliary engine will be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to generate 1,560kWe of "clean power."

"Application of Rolls-Royce Bergen gas engine technology will lead to an emissions reduction and an annual saving of almost 4,000 tonnes of CO2, over 60 tonnes of NOx and six tonnes of SOx," said Rolls-Royce.

The contract will see Rolls-Royce's first installation of a pure-gas engine aboard a European-flagged vessel outside Norwegian waters.

"This is a very important milestone," said Adolfo Utor, Baleària's Group President.

"Besides reducing CO2 emissions by 40%, it also enables us to reduce fuel costs.

"Abel Matutes may well find herself deployed on a route in an Emissions Control Area (ECA) sometime in the future."

John Knudsen, Commercial Marine President for Rolls-Royce said "Spain has the potential to be a significant player in the LNG market."

"The agreement with Gas Natural Fenosa is a giant step forward in emissions reduction in advance of the entry into force of future emissions legislation."

Pre-installation work is scheduled to begin soon with dry-docking due to take place later in 2015.

In November, Rolls-Royce Singapore called on the government there to intervene and break the "chicken and egg" cycle surrounding LNG infrastructure.