LNG Cold-Ironing Cruise Ship Barge on the Stocks

Hamburg-based Hybrid Port Energy GmbH, has awarded a building contract to Shipbuilding and Machinery of Komárno, Slovakia to build the world’s first LNG Hybrid Barge to supply low-emission electrical power to cruise ships in port.

The LNG Hybrid Barge will be delivered by summer 2014, only two years after the initial project startup. The 74 m long barge will be stationed in the Port of Hamburg, which will then be the first port in Europe able to provide cold ironing power to cruise ships.

The barge will be fitted with 5 Generator Sets supplied by Zeppelin Power Systems totalling 7.5 MW for 50/60 Hz operating solely on LNG. These are the first marine classified LNG Caterpillar engines to be delivered to customers.

In addition, say Hybrid Port Energy GmbH (a subsidiary of Becker Marine Systems GmbH & Co. KG) the barge and its engines are to be outfitted to supply combined heat and power to potential customers, further improving the ecological footprint.