World Bunkering > News > Industry News > LNG to fuel 25,000 dwt products tanker

Engine manufacturer Wärtsilä has signed a turnkey contract with Swedish-based Tarbit Shipping to convert a product tanker to LNG propulsion, and to supply the ship with a Wärtsilä LNGPac system to store  LNG bunkers. This is the first order for a Wärtsilä LNGPac system.

Tarbit’s decisions appears to be influenced by Norwegian tax incentives. The 25,000 dwt product tanker Bit Viking  is operated by Statoil around the Norwegian coast. The conversion will enable the vessel to qualify for lower NOX emission taxes under the Norwegian government’s NOX fund scheme.

"By carrying out this large-scale conversion project, and equipping the vessel with the new Wärtsilä LNGPac system, the ship’s emissions will be significantly reduced. This obviously is of tremendous benefit to the environment, and is in line with both the letter and the intent of the Norwegian government’s NOX fund initiative," comments Torkel Hermansson, Managing Director of Tarbit Shipping.

The contract covers the conversion of the ship’s two main engines to gas-fuelled propulsion, all adjustments to the ship’s systems necessitated by the conversion, the updating of the vessel’s classification certificate, and the supply and installation of the Wärtsilä LNGPac system, including two 500m3 LNG storage tanks. Wärtsilä is responsible for carrying out everything involved in the contract, and the schedule calls for completion by June 2011.

The ’Bit Viking’ has twin screw propulsion, with each screw currently powered by a 6-cylinder in-line Wärtsilä 46 engine running on heavy fuel oil (HFO). The conversion involves changing these to 6-cylinder in-line Wärtsilä 50DF dual-fuel engines that will operate on LNG. The Wärtsilä LNGPac is a total system developed by the company to enable the safe and convenient storage of the gas fuel onboard ship, and to facilitate bunkering operations.