The world's first LNG bunkering vessel delivered its first cargo to the world's largest LNG-powered passenger ship, the 2,800-pax, 57,000GRT, 218 metre-long 'Viking Grace' in Stockholm's central harbour last month.
The MV 'Seagas' had undergone an extensive re-build last year to convert the vessel from the 1974 Norwegian local car ferry MF 'Fjalir', after its purchase at the Fiskerstrand BLRT yard in Norway in June last year.
Although no cost figures were given, the European Union's TEN-T (Trans-European Transport Network) executive agency, which promotes maritime transport under the 'Motorways of the Seas' concept, contributed €261,000 (USD335,000) towards the prototype project.
Owned and operated by industrial gas company AGA, a part of Sweden's Linde Group conglomerate, the 'Seagas' is the company's first venture into shipping after securing the supply contract from Viking Line.
Shipped in from its Norwegian source, the LNG will be transported by the 'Seagas' from the Port of Stockholm's Nynäshamn harbour. Located 60 kilometres south of Stockholm, the harbour is the site of the Baltic's first (and at the moment only) LNG terminal. Opened last year mainly to supply onshore customers, AGA also owns and operates the terminal.
The 'Seagas' has a large single 170 cubic metre cryogenic tank on board that maintains the -162˚C temperature needed to ensure the LNG occupies just a six-hundredth of its gaseous volume. The tanks have been placed amidships, with a capacity of up to 70 tonnes that can be transferred in just 60 minutes.
Sixty minutes is also the turnaround time of the 'Viking Grace' while it is in port, as the vessel makes the 11-hour crossing between Finland's west coast city of Turku and the Swedish capital via Mariehamn twice daily.
Until now, refuelling of the vessel been done by road tanker, an unsatisfactory method due to safety and environmental concerns. And although the 'Viking Grace' can make the crossover voyage daily for three days without re-fuelling, the 'Seagas' is scheduled to deliver its cargo up to six times weekly.
The Baltic, along with the North Sea and English Channel, is scheduled to become a Tier III SECA (sulphur emission control area) from 2015, as agreed by the nine coastal states. This agreement will require fuel to contain no more that 0.1 per cent sulphur (down from the former level of 1.0 per cent) for all ships operating in these areas. Additionally, the Baltic is likely to also be designated a NECA (nitrogen ECA) over the next twelve months, with all newbuildings required to comply.
LNG easily meets all the future tight Tier III limits for sulphur, nitrogen and particulate matter (PM) as well as for greenhouse gases (GHGs). However, LNG can only be burnt in engines specifically designed or adapted to do so. In the case of the 'Viking Grace', four Wärtsilä 8L50DF (dual fuel) main engines have been installed that can give a maximum output of 30.4MW, powering the vessel along comfortably at a cruising speed of 22 knots and to a top speed of 25.6 knots.
The combination of dual fuel engines and LNG means that SOx and PMs are practically zero. NOx is 80 per cent below current IMO requirements and GHGs are cut. Carbon dioxide, especially, is reduced by 25 per cent. Consequently, there are currently many ports constructing, planning or considering LNG facilities along the Baltic and North Sea coastlines in addition to those in place in North America and Norway.
John Pagni
