Dutch Operator's 1st LNG-Fuelled Ferry Enters Service

Dutch ferry operator Rederij Doeksen’s first LNG-fuelled ferry will enter service on July 3, it said on July 1 in a Facebook post.

The ferry, Willem Barentsz, will operate within the Wadden Sea which is a Unesco World Heritage site. It will connect the Dutch islands of Terschelling and Vlieland.

Willem Barentsz is the first of the two LNG-fuelled ferries designed by UK-based engineers BMT. The second ferry, Willem de Vlamingh, will be commissioned in September this year. Both Willem Barentsz and Willem de Vlamingh were built by Strategic Marine Shipyard in Vietnam.

Rederij said that the ferries have been designed keeping in mind the fragile nature of the Wadden Sea. It said the LNG-powered ferries will significantly reduce harmful emissions. Rederij intends to mix LNG with bio-LNG as soon as this type of fuel becomes sufficiently available.

The two 70-metre ferries have a maximum capacity of 600 passengers, 66 cars, and six crew members. The vessels operate at a service speed of 14 knots.