ABS and partners to develop dry bulk LNG carrier design

US-based company American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has collaborated with Arista Shipping, Deltamarin, GTT, and Wärtsilä in a joint development project (JDP), Project Forward, to develop a dry bulk carrier concept that uses liquid natural gas (LNG) as fuel.

ABS is a provider of classification services to the global marine and offshore industries.

Project Forward aims to bring LNG-fuelled vessels into shipping’s mainstream, and a LNG-powered Kamsarmax bulk carrier design will be developed under the project.

"The long-term potential for LNG as a marine fuel is tremendous."

The Kamsarmax bulk carrier design will be developed in compliance with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO’s) energy efficiency design index 2025 standards, NOx Tier III and Marpol Annex VI SOx emission levels.

Once completed, the design will be the first LNG-fuelled cargoship capable of full-range operations.

ABS global gas solutions vice-president Patrick Janssens said: "The long-term potential for LNG as a marine fuel is tremendous.

"We see the near-term opportunities for larger vessels on fixed and known trade routes, but more opportunities will emerge as concepts mature and bunkering infrastructure expands.

"Environmental stewardship will continue to be a concern, and owners will be evaluating alternative fuel choices."

The concept of the carrier is based on a Deltamarin B Delta 82 design, utilising a GTT membrane LNG fuel tank, and will receive approval in principle from ABS.

ABS noted that the design could also be applied to other bulk carrier sizes and serve as the basis for a LNG-fueled tanker.

The new concept features a Wärtsilä four-stroke, medium-speed engine, without auxiliary generators.

Recently, ABS ended a project with a group of Greek ship owners to support preparations for executing the European Union’s monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) regulation for CO2 emissions.

The regulation helps companies to understand how they will be affected and what steps required to be taken to achieve and express compliance.

Image: Deltamarin Project Forward visualisation. Photo: courtesy of ABS.