Spanish shipping company Baleària is set to invest €60m to convert five of its existing ferries to run on liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Scheduled to be completed over the next two years, the conversion is set to reduce emissions and expand Baleària’s fleet of eco-efficient vessels.
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The ferries that will undergo conversion are Naples, Abel Matutes, Sicily, Bahama Mama, and Martin i Soler.
Once completed, the retrofitting is expected to reduce more than 45,000t of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions annually, 4,400t of nitrogen oxide (NOx), as well as completely eliminate sulphur and particulate emissions.
Baleària in a statement said: “The first of the ships in the fleet that will adapt to gas propulsion will be the Naples ferry, since it is expected that these works will be undertaken during the wintering of this winter.”
Baleària is also examining two other LNG projects and is building two smart ships at the Visentini shipyard in Italy, the first of which is slated to enter service by February.
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By GlobalDataBaleària president Adolfo Utor said LNG is the most environmentally friendly fossil fuel, which the company plans to use to power nine of its ships in three years.
Baleària is also one of the founding members of the Spanish Association of Natural Gas for Mobility (GASNAM), which was formed in 2013.
The company has strategic agreements with Naturgy for an exclusive LNG subminister contract for ten years, as well as Rolls Royce and Wärtsilä for building engines.
Last year, Baleària launched its first LNG energy generator on a passenger ship named Abel Matutes.
