Americas News
Vard Marine Receives Patent for Dual Fuel Vessel
Vancouver, Canada-headquartered Vard Marine, formerly STX Marine, said Friday in an emailed press release it has been awarded a U.S. Patent for their engineering and design of a Dual Fuel Vessel.
Under the patent, Gulf Coast Shipyard Group are currently constructing six 5,100 DWT vessels for Harvey Gulf International Marine, the first of which will be delivered later this year.
Vard Marine says the vessels will be the first U.S. flag vessels able to operate exclusively on diesel fuel or natural gas.
The company said U.S. Patent No. US 8,690,622 B2, filed September 13, 2011, is applicable to a "small size, self-propelled floating vessel having a dual fuel system, monohull or catamaran hull shape with an overall length ranging from 60 meters to 170 meters, azimuthing thrusters, and with LNG tank capacities between 100cbm and 1200cbm."
In May, the United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) said it received $190 million in financing for two of its planned dual-fuel newbuild containerships, while in July, Wärtsilä said it signed a deal with China State Shipbuilding Corp. (CSSC) in a joint venture for the manufacture of diesel and dual-fuel engines.
