China Bulk Carriers Will Do Return Trip on Oz LNG
Norwegian ship classification company DNV GL said it and partners June 1 presented results from stage one of their Green Corridor joint industry project, noting it has demonstrated the commercial potential and technical feasibility of LNG-fueled iron ore and coal bulk ships operating between Australia and the Chinese market. They believe a ship can be built that will be able to do the round-trip, having bunkered with LNG in Australia.
The result is an LNG-fuelled ‘Newcastlemax’ design, in the process of receiving Approval in Principle from DNV GL which has cargo holds totaling 225,000m3 in volume. DNV GL said the design should be ready to serve as the outline specification for newbuilding orders later this year.
Based on fuel consumption analyses, partners said an onboard LNG fuel tank of 6000 m3 was found to be optimal, with bunkering in Australia for the round trip.
Chinese ship designer SDARI developed the design of the 210,000 deadweight ton ‘Newcastlemax’ bulk carrier based on its energy efficient Green Dolphin design. The ship would have dual-fuel propulsion, but would be able to operate solely on LNG on the Australia-China-Australia round trip.
Partners in the joint industry project besides DNV GL and SDARI are miners BHP Billiton, Fortescue and Rio Tinto, shipowners Mitsui OSK Lines and U-Ming, plus Australian LNG producer Woodside. The results of their work were presented June 1 at the Nor-Shipping trade fair in Oslo.
Last year the UN's International Maritime Organisation set 2020 as the year of implementation of its 0.5% global cap on sulphur content in marine fuels. This is accelerating the uptake of LNG as a bunker fuel. The IMO had previously been considering introduction only by 2025.
Mark Smedley