Interlake to fuel Great Lakes fleet with Shell LNG

   Interlake Steamship Co., an operator of bulk vessels on the Great Lakes, has reached an agreement in principle with Shell to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) to support the carrier’s vessel engine conversion to LNG as the main propulsion fuel.
   When converted, these ships are expected to be the first LNG-powered ships on the Great Lakes and among the first in the United States. With a goal of converting the first vessel by the spring of 2015, Interlake is already working through engineering and design, seeking regulatory approval and securing financing. Shell would be Interlake’s exclusive supplier of LNG for each converted vessel, the company said.
   The move to LNG also allows Interlake to use a fuel that is sourced, produced and distributed entirely in North America, reducing the use of and reliance on imported fossil fuels. “This move allows us to back the growing natural gas industry, which is also creating valuable jobs here in the U.S.,” said Mark Barker, president of Interlake, in a statement.
   Shell announced plans last month to invest in a liquefaction unit at its Sarnia Manufacturing Center in Ontario, Canada. Once operational, this project will supply LNG fuel throughout the Great Lakes region.