Gas Natural Fenosa general manager of Retail Energy Business, Daniel López Jordà, and Baleària president, Adolfo Utor, yesterday signed an agreement to jointly promote the development and installation of a natural gas engine and a liquefied natural gas tank in the Abel Matutes ferry, which daily operates the Barcelona-Palma route. With this initiative, the first of its kind in Spain, both companies can significantly reduce emissions in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona and the port zone of Palma de Mallorca.
It is expected that the works on the installation of the natural gas engine and an auxiliary 30 m3 (range for a week) tank in ferry Abel Matutes’ deck 8 will start in early 2015. The project also includes setting up a gas treatment plant in the same upper deck.
The new engine will be fully integrated into the ship’s power plant and will have no visual impact. The beginning of the testing and commissioning phases is expected to take place by the end of next year.
The ferry, which is 190 meters in length, has a passenger capacity of 900 people and 2,235 linear meters.
Source: Gas Natural Fenosa and Baleària.
