EU funding for LNG bunkering vessel
The European Union (EU) says it is providing more than €250,000 ($334,000) to a liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering project in the Port of Stockholm, Ship & Bunker reports.
The project, chosen for funding as part of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) Executive Agency Programme, will convert an existing vessel, the passenger Ro-Ro Fjalir, into an LNG bunkering ship.
The bunkering vessel will provide fuel to a new LNG-powered M/S Viking Grace ferry, and, eventually, to other ships.
"This bunkering vessel will be a flexible alternative to other state of the art technologies as well as larger scale, land- based fuelling infrastructure," according to a TEN-T statement.
"LNG is rapidly emerging as a more environmentally friendly fuel for the maritime sector and its uptake is encouraged by the European Union."
The project, set to be completed by December 2013, involves testing the vessel with 1,000 tonnes of LNG to evaluate the potential of such bunkering vessels and help define permitting rules around LNG bunkering.
The Viking Grace ferry, which is beginning service between Finland and Sweden this week, is said to be the "most environmentally friendly large cruise vessel ever built."
