LNG to fuel containerships by end-decade

   Germanischer Lloyd (GL) said it has proved the feasibility of running large container vessels on liquefied natural gas, working with Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME).
   “LNG-fueled cargo ships will be emerging on a large scale in the latter half of this decade, and there is a great potential for container ships to become one of the first cargo vessels using LNG as ship fuel,” said Gerd-Michael Wuersig, deputy head of the environmental research department of GL and also a member of International Maritime Organization’s correspondence group for the development of the Code for Gas as Ship Fuel.
   At a press conference held during the Kormarine Trade Fair in Busan, GL and DSME announced the progress they have made towards developing LNG-fueled large container vessels. GL said it has recently finished approval in principle of a 14,000 TEU LNG-fueled container vessel for DSME.
   Wuersig said most technical systems for such ships have been developed and examined and the major challenge lies in how to apply these technologies, especially the one ensuring safe bunkering procedures.
   “You have to guarantee there is no gas spill and protection measures against incidents and collisions are sufficient. Relevant solutions are under evaluation and will be available soon,” he added.
   The IMO has agreed to reduce SOX emissions by controlling the sulfur content in marine fuels from 2015 onwards, and for new vessels operating in ECAs (emission control areas), 80 percent reduction of NOX emissions versus 2010 level is required starting from 2016.
   “This will make conventional fuel unattractive. But LNG can be an environmentally and economically sound option due to its high efficiency and lower impact on environment,” said Wuersig, who is convinced that a new era of LNG vessels is set to come.