Great Ships of 2016: Greenland
Since it started publishing in 1939, Maritime Reporter & Engineering News has recognized excellence in ship construction. This year 18 ships in total were honored, including many “world firsts.”
Greenland - LNG powered cement carrier
Dutch shipbuilder Ferus Smit delivered what it is calling the world’s first LNG-powered cement tanker, MV Greenland. The delivery was preceded by an extensive program of trials and tests in which the proper working and safety of all systems was verified. On December 23, MV Greenland left the harbor of Delfzijl on its first commercial voyage to Rostock where it was scheduled to receive its first cement load. M.V. Greenland is a dedicated cement carrier build for the joint venture JT Cement, in which Erik Thun AB cooperates with KG Jebsen Cement from Norway.
According to the shipbuilder, the vessel is the first ever dry cargo vessel with an LNG fueled propulsion system and LNG tanks integrated inside the hull. The design incorporates a pressurized LNG tank positioned in the foreship. The cement cargo system consists of a fully automated cement loading and unloading system, based on fluidization of cement by means of compressed air. The cement can be loaded and unloaded fully enclosed through pipes, thus dust-free.
(As published in the December 2016 edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News)