German Government-backed project could mark the start of a series of vessel conversions. Wessels Reederei has received a government grant to convert one of its container ships to liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The company said it has received a government grant in the seven-figures for retrofitting it container ship Wes Amelie (1,000 TEU) to run on LNG.
The company has chosen the 2011-built, 1,000 TEU Wes Amelie to undergo retrofitting, which will be performed in collaboration with the engine manufacturer MAN Diesel & Turbo and gas specialist TGW Marine Gas Engineering.
The retroffiting of the Wes Amelie is expected to start in the third quarter of 2016, and the vessel is expected to return to service in early December 2016.
The vessel has 23 sister ships, 16 of them structurally identical, which allows follow-up projects to be easily implemented, the company said.
A ”seven figure” funding was provided through the country’s federal program Mobility and Fuel Strategy, which promotes the maritime use of LNG as an environmentally friendly fuel.
“For many years our shipping company has been committed to ‘Green Shipping’ – through the development and implementation of more efficient alternative propulsion systems. With the conversion to LNG we and our partners showcase our technical expertise and demonstrate practical environmental solutions for the merchant marine industry,” said Gerd Wessels, Managing Owner of Wessels Reederei GmbH.