GL Approves LNG Liner, Feeder Vessel Design

GL said the LNG option must be on the planning table of every ship owner and operator

Germanischer Lloyd SE (GL) said Friday it has given an approval in principle to UK-based TECHNOLOG for its liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered liner / feeder vessel design, saying that in the fight to reduce harmful emissions to the air, "the LNG option must be on the planning table of every ship owner and operator."

The STREAM design, by the Ingenieur Partner Pool (IPP) for vessels ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 TEU, also feature an optimised hull design to minimise fuel consumption as well as resistance in water and air.

"At GL we see the development of LNG as a fuel for shipping as a key part of the industry's drive to curb costs, reduce emissions, and remain the world's most efficient means of transporting goods," said Dr Pierre Sames, Head of GL's Research and Rule Development Department.

The LNG-fueled STEAM 4200 is designed to be able to pass through the Panama and Kiel Canals and is subdivided into several double 40-foot holds, including a forward hold designed to carry dangerous goods.

"With this design we are showing that it is no longer just a dream to build environment-friendly vessels for economic ship operation that fulfill government-defined green commitments," said Hans-Jürgen Voigt, Managing Director of IPP and TECHNOLOG.

Once the planned 2020 emissions rules are in place, Voigt said the vessel, driven by a dual-fuel, two-stroke, 22.9 MW engine, would give fuel cost savings in the region of 30% when operating in an Emissions Control Area (ECA).

In a report earlier this year Singapore-based consultancy Tri-Zen said the use of LNG fuel reduces CO2 emissions by around 29% compared with oil, and its low sulfur content will become increasingly important as new, lower limits on sulfur emissions come into force in 2015 and 2020 making it more expensive to produce compliant fuel oil.

"The move to gas in ships will be as important as was the move from coal to oil, bringing a time of significant change throughout the maritime sector and beyond," Tri-Zen wrote.

Dr Pierre Sames said, "The spread of LNG technology will not only allow the industry to improve its overall environmental footprint, but to remain competitive in an era of rising bunkering costs."