The following is the text of a news release from Business Wire:
(ATLANTA) — Siemens Drilling and Marine, Dresser-Rand and Lloyd’s Register (LR) have announced a "best of industry" team to make LNG widely available to shipowners seeking to use natural gas as a propulsion fuel, meeting tough sulfur (SOx) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emission-reduction requirements — whether regionally or globally.
By providing an end-to-end solution encompassing the entire supply chain from natural gas procurement to liquefaction and delivery of LNG to newbuilding or retrofitting, the collaboration will remove obstacles that can hold back widespread adoption of natural gas as the marine fuel of choice.
According to Lloyd’s Register, there are approximately 40 to 50 LNG-fueled vessels globally, but strong growth is predicted. Much of this proposed growth is driven by increased emissions regulations, including stringent EPA compliance requirements for marine customers operating across the North American Emissions Control Area.
David Grucza, Siemens Drilling and Marine, said, “In putting together this team of leaders in the marine and LNG space, our integrated solution, encompassing the entire supply chain of LNG including gas-fueled marine propulsion systems, will remove the 'chicken and egg' hurdle from the LNG equation. This is a disruptive concept for the maritime industry, and the technology exists for immediate adoption. This joint solution is not limited geographically, and we stand ready to support the marine industry globally, although our initial focus is on deploying U.S. shale gas.”
The initial "end to end" solution offered to the North American inland and coastal waterways community comprises the following elements designed and engineered by leading naval engineering firms Waller Marine Inc. (WMI) and The Shearer Group Inc. (TSGI), respectively, and will be constructed by Conrad Industries shipyard in Texas:
• Land-based and/or floating LNG liquefaction barge;
• LNG bunkering barge (C-type tanks with up to 2,500-cubic-meter); and
• 4,200 or higher horsepower river pushboat.
“Together, the team brings a holistic answer to the LNG marine fuel question of what comes first — the bunkering station or the engine?” said David Waller, president, Waller Marine Inc. “The innovative solution to this industry hurdle includes the entire supply chain from liquefaction, LNG bunkering and design, all while meeting EPA and USCG compliance and providing smart, sustainable, lower greenhouse gas alternative fuels to operators.”
“Lloyd’s Register is well placed to support a new fleet of gas-fueled ships — and help them to operate safely and efficiently. Our expertise and leadership in gas technology and operations — from gas carriers to LNG bunkering and gas as a marine fuel — helps lead to the best decisions based on the best, independent, technical insight,” said Mark Darley, Americas regional marine manager and president of Lloyd’s Register North America (LRNA). Lloyd’s Register has established clear standards describing different levels of readiness to use natural gas as a marine fuel. Lloyd’s Register also provides training on the key practical aspects of modern LNG carriage by sea and risk management services to support safe LNG bunkering.
Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for more than 165 years. The company is active in more than 200 countries, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalization.
Dresser-Rand, a Siemens business, is among the largest suppliers of rotating equipment solutions to the worldwide oil, gas, petrochemical and process industries. The company operates manufacturing facilities in the United States, France, United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, Norway, Brazil and India and maintains a network of 48 service and support centers (including 6 engineering and R&D centers) covering more than 150 countries.
Lloyd’s Register is the leading classification society in the gas carrier market — both for LNG and LPG — and is also leading the way in the international development of gas as a marine fuel.
Waller Marin. is a global leader in floating gas to liquids (GTL), floating power generation and floating liquefaction (LNG). Waller Marine provides design, construction management, regulatory assistance, project development and contractual compliance in the marine transportation and offshore industries.
Conrad Industries Inc. specializes in the construction, conversion and repair of a wide variety of marine vessels for commercial and governmental customers and the fabrication of modular components of offshore drilling rigs and floating, production, storage and offloading vessels.
Conrad has been awarded a contract to build a 2,200-cubic-meter bunker barge, first in the U.S. Conrad has leveraged its experience with LPG and refrigerated anhydrous ammonia to enter in to the LNG market. The company currently operates five shipyards in south Louisiana and Texas with direct access to the Gulf of Mexico.
The Shearer Group Inc. was founded in 2010, and provides naval architecture, marine engineering, marine surveying and professional engineer services to clients in the inland and offshore marine industries. The Shearer Group Inc. has extensive experience, including functional designs for towboats, liquid and dry cargo barges, dry docks and floating dock facilities.
