EMEA News
Barcelona Marks First LNG Bunkering of Baleària Ferry
Baleària Eurolínias Marítimas S.A. (Baleària) Monday announced that, along with Gas Natural SDG, S.A. (Gas Natural Fenosa), it has completed the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering of Baleària's ferry, Abel Matutes, at the Port of Barcelona.
"Through this joint project with Baleària, and in close collaboration with the Port of Barcelona, Gas Natural Fenosa continues to promote the use of natural gas as an alternative fuel for transporting people and goods, helping to improve air quality and replacing More pollutants," said Daniel López Jorda, general director of Gas Natural Fenosa's Retail Business.
The ferry is noted to have been recently retrofitted with a LNG storage tank and an auxiliary LNG-powered Rolls-Royce engine - an initiative Baleària says will result in an estimated annual reduction of about 4,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, more than 60 tonnes of nitrogen oxide (NOx), and 6 tonnes of sulfur oxide (SOx).
The vessel, once completely operational, is slated to be deployed on the Barcelona-Palma de Mallorca route.
The truck to ship bunkering operation is noted to have been the first of its kind to be carried out at the Port of Barcelona, and was supported through the port's Air Quality Improvement Plan of 2016.
"With this project we take the first effective step in our commitment to the use of this fuel, which will also be the one that will propel the smartship we are building. This makes Baleària the pioneer shipping company in the use of LNG in Spain," said Adolfo Utor, Baleària's President.
As Ship & Bunker previously reported, Wärtsilä Corporation (Wärtsilä) has signed a contract with Spain's Construcciones Navales del Norte SL (LaNaval) to design and supply LNG power and propulsion installation on Baleària's newest RoRo passenger ferry, which was ordered last year.
