KUALA LUMPUR: Petroleum and chemical tanker owner AET Tanker Holdings Sdn Bhd today named its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuelled aframax vessels, Eagle Brasilia and Eagle Bintulu.
The vessels were inaugurated at a ceremony held at the Samsung Heavy Industry Co Ltd’s shipyard in Geoje, South Korea.
Both vessels have been taken on long-term charter by Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Ltd (Shell), primarily for operations in the Atlantic Basin, and will begin operating for the company from Q4 2018.
Using LNG as a fuel eliminates sulphur (SOx) emissions by nearly 100 per cent, nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions by 85 percent and particulate matter (PM) emissions by 98 per cent, exceeding
the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) MARPOL VI 0.5 per cent SOx regulations due into force in 2020.
The vessels are in compliance with NOx Tier III emission when operating in gas mode.
The vessels are equipped with conventional single screw propulsion with two-stroke main engine, three auxiliary engines and two auxiliary boilers, all equipped for LNG dual fuel capability.
LNG fuel is supplied through two type-C tanks of 850 cubic metres each arranged on the main deck aft port and starboard.
Each LNG tank is equipped with two LNG feed pumps which provide full redundancy for operation.
The vessels are designed to receive LNG fuel from
LNG bunkering vessels (via ship-to-ship transfer) and will be able to trade with LNG fuel for approximately 6,000 nautical miles.
"AET has worked for many years in close cooperation with industry partners to develop these LNG dual-fuelled aframaxes, which are amongst the very first in the industry," AET chairman Yee Yang Chien, who is also president/Group CEO of parent company MISC Bhd said.
"Eagle Brasilia and Eagle Bintulu are proof that as an industry, we needn’t see increasing environmental requirements as a threat to how we operate, but rather as an incentive to develop new, more innovative and sustainable shipping solutions.” Yee added.
Both vessels have been awarded the 'Green Passport' and 'GFS' notations and have been fitted with an IMO-compliant ballast water management system.
"We've invested considerably in supporting the development of a comprehensive and reliable LNG bunkering infrastructure. We share AET’s commitment to exceeding the IMO’s 0.5% sulphur emissions requirements wherever possible," Shell Global Crude Freight Trading Manager Lars Wogen said.
AET president and chief executive officer Captain Rajalingam Subramaniam welcome these vessels as the first in what will be an expanding fleet of LNG dual fuelled vessels.
"Under the careful management of our ship management division, Eaglestar, we look forward to ensuring our effort benefits the industry. I would also like to thank the Shell Group, for working with us," Captain Rajalingam added.
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