-In the spring of 2012, the Swedish government decided to support what was then a TEN-T request about a LNG fuelling vessel. One year later, the ship is christened and constitutes a an additional component in a competitive maritime shipping with quality, safety and a strong environmental profile, says the Swedish Minister of Infrastructure, Catharina Elms?ter-Sv?rd.
The LNG fuelling vessel, Seagas, is the first in the world of its kind, and is classified under the same regulations that apply to oceangoing LNG-tankers. The fuelling vessel will on a daily basis, supply 60-70 tons of LNG to M/S Viking Grace, the new cruise-ship of Viking Line, when the ship is moored at Stadsg?rden in Stockholm. The fuelling process takes just under an hour and is done from ship to ship through a completely new way of bunkering fuel. Seagas is stationed at Loudden in Stockholm.
- LNG implies major environmental benefits in comparison to traditional maritime fuel. It is gratifying that we, thanks to the LNG-terminal in Nyn?shamn and our purpose-built fuelling vessel, Seagas, can contribute to the infrastructure solution that enables M/S Viking Grace to bunker LNG from ship to ship in the port of Stockholm, says Jan B?ckvall, CEO, AGA AB.
About LNG
Natural gas is a combustible mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons. Natural colourless, non-toxic and odourless, and is lighter than air. The main component, about 90 per cent is methane. When natural gas is cooled to-162 degrees Celsius it transforms to liquid and the volume decreases about 600 times. This allows more efficient shipping than if natural gas had been transported in gaseous form. The liquid is then vaporized and used as natural gas.
LNG provides significant environmental benefits in comparison to traditional maritime fuel; carbon dioxide emissions are reduced by 20-30 per cent, emissions of sulphur is completely reduced and nitrogen oxide and particle emissions are significantly lower.
The LNG-terminal in Nyn?shamn
The natural gas used as fuel for M/S Viking Grace comes from AGA’s LNG-terminal in Nyn?shamn.
The terminal, which is the first in the Baltic Sea and also Sweden’s largest terminal for liquefied natural gas, came into operation about two years ago and has a storage capacity of 20 000 m3. The LNG-terminal is an interim storage for the liquid natural gas which is shipped on to customers by truck or by pipeline.