AET Tankers Intros New LNG Dual-Fuelled Twins

Malaysian-owned global shipping company announced that  it had named its first LNG dual-fuelled aframax vessels, Eagle Brasilia and Eagle Bintulu, built by Samsung Heavy Industry Co Ltd’s (SHI) at the company’s shipyard in Geoje, South Korea.

The company specialising in the ocean transport of crude oil and refined products said that both vessels have been taken on long-term charter by Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Limited (Shell), primarily for operations in the Atlantic Basin, and will commence commercial operations in early January.

Eagle Brasilia and Eagle Bintulu are designed to operate with optimum efficiency, the highest standards of safety and compliance while delivering significant environmental benefits.

Using LNG as a fuel eliminates sulphur (SOx) emissions by nearly 100 percent, nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions by 85 percent and particulate matter (PM) emissions by 98 percent. This far exceeds the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) MARPOL VI 0.5% SOx regulations due into force in 2020.

The vessels are equipped with conventional single screw propulsion with two-stroke main engine, three auxiliary engines and two auxiliary boilers, all equipped for LNG dual fuel capability.

LNG fuel will be supplied through two type-C tanks of 850 cubic metres each arranged on the main deck aft port and starboard. Each LNG tank is equipped with two LNG feed pumps which provide full redundancy for operation. The vessels are designed to receive LNG fuel from LNG bunkering vessels (via ship-to-ship transfer) and can trade with LNG fuel for approximately 6,000 nautical miles.

"Our new eco-pioneering Eagle Brasilia and Eagle Bintulu mark a major step for AET in building a growing fleet of LNG dual-fuelled vessels in the coming years as part of our Group’s Green Sustainability Agenda. While LNG dual fuelling solutions will not be rolled out for our entire fleet, we expect to equip up to 50% of our newbuild petroleum shipping fleet with this technology," said a company release.

"Under the careful management of our shipmanagement division, Eaglestar, we hope that our efforts in pioneering LNG dual-fuelled technologies will also benefit the wider industry. By showcasing the tangible operational advantages of this fuelling solution while reducing our impact on the natural environment, we hope to demonstrate that shipowners can do more to protect the environment without impeding commercial operations," it added.