CNOOC Orders Asia's First LNG Powered Tug

Chinese state energy firm CNOOC has placed order for Asia's first gas powered tug.

Rolls Royce, which has won the order, said in a statement Wednesday that the order is for two tugs to be built at the Zhenjiang shipyard in Jiangsu, China, with an option for an additional two. The first tug is planned for delivery by the end of this year.

Each tug features a pair of Rolls-Royce Bergen C26:33L9PG engines fueled purely by liquefied natural gas (LNG), Rolls Royce said.

Neil Gilliver, Rolls-Royce, President - Merchant, said: “This order is highly significant for Rolls-Royce, CNOOC, and Zhenjiang shipyard and marks a new era for tug boat propulsion technology in China, an increasingly important market for the marine industry. Rolls-Royce is proud to be selected to power Asia's first pure gas powered tug and to play a pivotal role in the state's focus on reducing emissions along the coasts and inland waterways. I am convinced that with the growing popularity of LNG as a marine fuel, more operators will soon begin to opt for a cleaner, lower cost and smoke-free fuel solution to power their tugs. This order will be one of many more to come."

This order follows the successful delivery of the world's first gas powered tug, Borgøy, also powered by Rolls-Royce. 

Sign-up for our free weekly newsletter update via email here