LNG-fuelled Box Ship Order in the Offing

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Thursday November 26, 2020

Box ship operator Hapag-Lloyd is in the process of finalising a deal for a dozen newbuild boxships to be fuelled by liquified natural gas (LNG).

In response to an enquiry from Ship & Bunker, the company said no information was available at this time as the contract had yet to be signed.

Maritime news provider Tradewinds has reported that the order will include a new tank fuelling system.

LNG has established itself as a viable alternative to oil-derived bunker fuel with northwest Europe as the most well developed market.

According to the Society for Gas as Marine Fuel, there are currently 187 LNG-fuelled ships in operation, 88 ports supplying LNG and 17 LNG bunker tankers.

A European Commission-funded three-year project was started in 2018 to look at using lighter material in the manufacture of LNG bunker tanks.