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The port of Hamburg has, for the first time, welcomed an LNG-fuelled ship. The KV Barentshav belongs to the Norwegian Coastguard fleet, and is deployed on fisheries controls, sea rescue, policing, customs inspections and environmental checks within Norwegian territorial waters.

Instead of diesel fuel the KV Barentshav is powered in normal conditions by liquefied natural gas (LNG). The occasion for the ship’s visit between 19 and 21 June 2012 was the “LNG – the Norwegian Experience” conference organized by the German-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce along with Innovation Norway and the classification society DNV Germany.

Propulsion of the KV Barentshav is through a propeller, driven mechanically either via the main engine or a gas-fuelled electric motor. Two engine rooms and tanks are available for this, one for diesel propulsion and one for gas operation using LNG. The four gas-fuelled engines producing power for the electric motor start and stop automatically, depending on the power requirement. The diesel engine only comes into use for towing assignments and special runs at high speeds of up to 20 knots. The 93.0 metres long and 16.6 metres beam ship displaces 4000 tonnes (grt) and with a bollard pull of 100 tonnes is capable of holding steady a 150,000-tonne tanker during a storm.

Against the background of the call for eco-friendlier shipping, natural gas propulsion reduces the quantity of nitrous gases by almost 90 percent in comparison to diesel fuel and of carbon dioxide by up to 20 percent. Sulphur dioxide and dust particle emissions become almost non-existent. In addition, engine wear and hence operating costs are reduced.

Hamburg Port Authority and Linde Group are keen to promote the use of LNG and are in the process of compiling a feasibility study on the commercial use of LNG in Hamburg. The findings of this research could be used to make a start on specific infrastructure projects such as an LNG bunkering facility at the port.

"Hamburg has recognized the importance of the alternative fuel that makes sense both commercially and ecologically," the port of Hamburg said.

“The port of Hamburg should be a leader for environmental friendliness and efficiency. In future propulsion systems using liquefied natural gas should be playing a part here. In worldwide cooperation we now need to create the standards and the foundations for the essential infrastructure. The port of Hamburg performs an immensely important role as a feeder port for the Baltic and consequently we are working on the essential preliminaries for the LNG infrastructure needed in Hamburg. We are also looking into equipping newbuildings for our own fleet with LNG technology,” said HPA Managing Director Jens Meier.

The port of Hamburg is also in contact with experts from Norway - a pioneer in the construction and operation of LNG-powered ships. The country has had gas-powered ferries for over ten years and also has the necessary infrastructure in place for fuelling ships of this type. The appropriate regulations for the use of LNG have been issued for the region and 14 Norwegian terminals have been designed for the storage of LNG as a marine fuel. Four of these are already in use as bunkering stations.

"Shipping has a green future. Norway is the worldwide leader in that field. Germany cannot miss the boat here and can learn a lot from Norway. We see it as our task to act as intermediary between the two countries and to create opportunities for cooperation," commented Kathrin Luze-Hercz, Deputy CEO of the German-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce, which champions the promotion of bilateral trade relations and investments between Germany and Norway.

For shipping companies, both the retrofit of existing fleets to use LNG as fuel and also the construction of new LNG-powered ships represent possible alternatives. “An analysis of fuel choices reveals that between 10 and 15 per cent of the newbuildings delivered up to 2020 will have the capability for using LNG as fuel. This equates to about 1,000 ships,” explained Lars Sørum, Director Technology & Services, Maritime Oil & Gas for DNV Europe & North Africa.

“Larger vessels will benefit more from using LNG than smaller vessels. Furthermore, a gas-fuelled engine can be justified if a ship spends about 30 percent of its sailing time in emission control areas,” Sørum added.

Running a ship on LNG will require a reliable supply infrastructure for LNG, the development of bunkering facilities at ports and international rules and regulations for the use and storage of LNG as fuel for ships. DNV is already contributing with ISO for the development of internationally accepted standards for LNG bunkering.

“In 2020, the number of ships using LNG will increase significantly with the introduction of a global sulphur limit. The analysis emphasizes the need for LNG bunker facilities. DNV is pleased to contribute to the development of the required infrastructure in Germany,” said Sørum.