World’s first LNG-fuelled tanker newbuilding delivered
The delivery of “Argonon”, a 6,100-dwt dual-fuelled chemical tanker, is said to be a significant milestone for the Deen Shipping subsidiary, Argonon Shipping B.V., in its pursuit of cleaner transport solutions for Europe.
"This has been a great project and it is a significant first," said Piet Mast, Lloyd’s Register's Marine Business Manager for Western Europe. "The nature of inland waterways traffic, which passes through or close to major population centres, makes LNG an attractive way to reduce harmful local emissions. We had to look carefully at the risks and worked closely with the owner and the regulators to ensure that they understood, and were comfortable with, the technical solutions that were developed."
The dual-fuel system is designed to burn an 80/20 mixture of natural gas and diesel, reducing SOx, NOx and particulate-matter emissions, as well as reducing the greenhouse gas emissions from tank to flue. The LNG is stored in a transport tank located on deck, supplied by Cryonorm Projects, based near Amsterdam.
“Argonon” has entered service and will start operating with gas following some final, main-engine tests. Built by Rotterdam's Shipyard Trico B.V., the tanker is 110m in length and propelled by two, dual-fuel Caterpillar DF3512 engines, each providing 1,115 kW.
