Natural gas powered marine engines are seen as being a logical means for ship owners and operators to comply with increasingly stringent environmental legislation. In turn, the shipping industry is gradually looking to natural gas as a means of reducing operating costs. With fossil fuel prices, and especially the cost of low carbon marine fuel, likely to continue to escalate, LNG is the best economic alternative.
“It is an exciting time for the industry to have Shell, a major player, committed to increasing the availability of clean natural gas as a marine fuel. Wartsila engines represent a rare win-win, capturing emissions reduction and operational savings,” said Christoph Vitzthum, Wartsila Services’ vice president.
“We are pleased to work with Wartsila to move forward with this significant step in introducing LNG-powered vessels into the US market, providing a clean, abundant and affordable fuel option,” said David Lawrence, Shell’s executive vice president Exploration and Commercial.
Source: Wartsila
