World First Ethane Bunker Conversion Complete

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Monday August 27, 2018

Amid a growing market for alternative bunker fuels, the 35,000 CBM Ethylene/LPG carrier Navigator Aurora has been converted from running on liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Ethane, marking a world first for such a conversion in a slow-speed marine diesel engine.

Navigator Gas Fleet Manager Mark Macey said the conversion project is "the culmination of 4 years of close co-operation between Navigator Gas, Borealis, ABS, ABS Consulting, TGE, MAN Diesel & Turbo, Northern Marine and the Liberian administration."

The conversion took 15 days and the vessel was classed by ABS.

"This retrofit modification will comply with all current global emissions regulations and position us as early adopters of the global sulphur cap regulation due to come into force on the 1st of January 2020," said Paul Flaherty, Director of Fleet and Technical operations at Navigator Gas.