Shell to charter 15 new barges powered by fuel-flexible solution

The order was generated by Dutch oil company Shell Trading Rotterdam BV which has signed a time charter agreement for the vessels with Plouvier Transport NV and Intertrans Tankschiffahrt AG. LNG fuel is an alternative for vessel operators responding to new sulphur and nitrogen oxide emissions restrictions in Emission Control Areas (ECAs). The barges will support Shell’s business in trading and transporting mineral oil products in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) and Rhinetrack (Germany/Switzerland) regions. The 110m-long barges have been designed for improved environmental performance, safety and for optimal cargo-carrying capacity in various water conditions. Their Wärtsilä main engines will run on 95 to 98% LNG fuel with a small proportion of diesel used for ignition. A staged delivery of the barges is scheduled between late 2016 and mid 2018.