German government ready to support LNG pilot projects for ship propulsion systems

Minister Ramsauer made reference to Germany’s fuel strategy for the transportation industry, including shipping. He explained that the government is ready to support pilot projects like retrofitting new engine solutions on ships and stated that the MS Atair ship, which belongs to the German Authority for Shipping and Hydrographics, will be replaced by a new LNG-fueled ship in 2015. “The transport industry can play a leading role by changing fuel,” he said.

Moreover, Caterpillar pointed out that 450 ships are now using the M43C-type engine, which can be converted to an LNG-fueled M 46 DF engine. The majority of these engines are installed on ships with German owners. About 190 of these vessels are less than six years old and therefore in principle suitable for conversion to LNG. Most are container feeders of similar design.

“Making technology-based decisions is complex for each individual company, as is finding the right way into the future. We fully support the overall political will and dedication to reduce harmful emissions from ship operations,” commented Jörg Langkabel, DNV Country Manager. “DNV is convinced that LNG is an environmentally friendly fuel and the best available option for this.”

Source: DNV