Hybrid Port Energy GmbH, subsidiary of Becker Marine Systems, has awarded a contract to Shipbuilding and Machinery of Komárno, Slovakia, to develop the new barge, which will be fitted with five Caterpillar-based gensets supplied by Zeppelin Power Systems totaling 7.5 MW for 50/60 Hz and operating solely on LNG.
The LNG hybrid barge is scheduled for completion by summer 2014, two years after the initial project startup, when AIDA Cruises and Becker Marine Systems teamed up on a long-term cooperation project to provide low emission electrical power to cruise ships while at port.
The 74m long vessel will be stationed in the Port of Hamburg, Germany, which will then be the first port in Europe able to provide cold ironing power to cruise ships, reported The MotorShip.
In addition, the barge and its engines, which are the first marine-classified LNG-fueled Caterpillar engines to be delivered to customers, will be outfitted to supply combined heat and power to potential customers, further improving the ecological footprint.
