Høglund forges new partnerships in LNG and chemical tanker automation

In both cases, the contracts demonstrate a new approach to automation challenges whereby system hardware is supported in a dedicated partner-based approach. Høglund engineers will have remote access to shipboard systems and the ability to resolve issues remotely.
The LNG bunkering vessel, to be built for Schulte at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, is one of only a few such vessels and will incorporate complex automation systems for both power management and the interaction between ship machinery and cargo plant. The barge will have systems to extract vapour from receiving ships to use as fuel, for example, thereby substantially increasing automation system complexity.
Meanwhile, the two chemical tankers for Sirius Shipping will be built at AVIC Ding Heng shipyard in China and incorporate automation systems which integrate power management and cargo management. The two systems are usually separate but Høglund claims that integration will raise the efficiency of the tankers’ offloading operations, requiring fewer generators.
Høglund Marine Automation CEO, Børge Nogva said: “When creating automation solutions for an entirely new vessel sub-segment within LNG, it’s hard to predict and foresee what challenges might emerge, which means you can’t just use an off-the-shelf solution. By playing a consultative role throughout the design and build stages, and supporting vessels 24/7 once they begin operation, automation suppliers can deliver significant benefits in terms of reliability and efficiency, as these projects demonstrate.”
Høglund has already established a lead in automation technology for LNG bunkering vessels, with the company’s systems booked for three units. These include a bunkering vessel under construction for Shell at STX in South Korea, and the Seagas, an existing unit operated by Sirius Shipping that has successfully completed about 1,200 bunkering operations.