Niestern Sander begins LNG retrofit on 1986-built ferry

Dutch shipbuilder Royal Niestern Sander has begun work to convert an existing Ro-Pax ferry to enable it to operate on LNG.

The company recently held a keel-laying ceremony to mark the official start of construction of a new stern section for Münsterland, a 1986-built vessel owned by German ferry operator Ems.

The completely new stern, which will replace the existing one on Münsterland, will house dual fuel engines, LNG storage tanks, propulsion systems, all LNG installations, pipelines, and other systems. The new shape of the stern will also reduce hull resistance, thus further reducing fuel consumption and noise.

Ems expects that it will put the upgraded Münsterland back in service on the Eemshaven-Borkum route by the summer of 2021.