LNG hopper barge launched in the Netherlands

Greenports 1 is 70.50m long, 10.50m wide, 2.90m draught and cost to the tune of €4.9 million. It is said to be the first working vessel at a European seaport to be powered by eco-friendly liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Robert Howe, technical managing director of bremenports, said: “Both Bremen’s government and bremenports are banking on sustainable port operations which pay due attention to environmental protection. One of the targets of our greenports strategy is to reduce shipping emissions at local level.”

When it goes into service, Greenports1 will regularly carry silt dredged from the harbour basins in Bremerhaven to the disposal facility in Bremen-Seehausen.

The vessel was launched at Shipyard Constructions Hoogezand Nieuwbouw (SCHN) in Foxhol in the Province of Groningen on 31 March 2016.

Accordingly, Mr Howe said, the fleet of bremenports vessels was now undergoing ecological modernisation.

He added: “LNG is an eco- and climate-friendly alternative to conventional fuels which means that the emission of sulphur oxides and particulates can be reduced to virtually nil. “Emissions of nitrogen oxides will be reduced by around 85%, carbon dioxide by around 20%.”

Right now, the new-build vessel, still bears very little resemblance to a ship. At the launch ceremony, the hull went down the slipway without superstructures, engines or other equipment.

The gas-diesel-electric propulsion system still has to be tested before it is installed, to ensure optimum interaction of the power generators.

In addition, the two tanks, each of which can hold six cubic metres of LNG, are currently being manufactured in Asia and are scheduled for installation in June. They will receive their first filling of LNG at the shipyard shortly afterwards. Additional training will also have to be provided for the crews, as it’s a mandatory requirement for LNG-powered barges.