Gainn4Mos LNG projects gain ground

Several technical meetings were held during January and February concerning Gainn4Mos LNG pilot projects co-financed by the CEF Programme of the European Commission. 

The Gainn4Moss project, managed by Fundacion Valenciaport, is aimed at improving the liquefied natural gas infrastructure and network between ports in Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Portugal and Slovenia, according to the project’s website.

The project includes 14 engineering studies on LNG infrastructure, bunkering stations, ship retrofitting and newbuilding of vessels. Studies include 11 prototypes comprising four LNG retrofitted prototype vessels and seven LNG bunkering stations at core ports.

Retrofitting of MV Lobo Marinho and MV Funchalense 5

Grupo Sousa, Steer Mar, Gestlider and Fundación Valenciaport met in Funchal in Portugal on Monday.

Grupo Sousa intends to conduct an operational and economic feasibility study of converting its ropax ferry the MV Lobo Marinho to use LNG dual fuel system for propulsion, according to a statement by Gainn4Mos project. The vessel operated daily between Madeira and Porto Santo islands.

A similar study will be conducted by Grupo Sousa for its containership MV Funchalense 5 that operates between Portugal mainland and Madeira island on a weekly basis.

The preliminary studies that have been carried out incorporate several technical options for the retrofitting of both vessels. The options include installing scrubbers onboard and continuing using IFO 180 as a fuel for Lobo Marinho and IFO 380 for Funchalense 5, retrofitting the main engine to LNG dual fuel, retrofitting the port generator and both the main engine and the port generator for both vessels, the statement said.

The options for the two vessels will be further analyzed through the engineering studies that will be carried out during 2016.

General cargo vessel Corvo

On Friday last week, Mutualista Açoreana, Barloworld STET, Portos dos Açores and Fundación Valenciaport met in Ponta Delgada located in Açores, Portugal to discuss the project of retrofitting the general cargo vessel Corvo to dual fuel.

Main focus of the meeting was the vessel’s capability to maintain service speed when running on LNG leaving the service between Lisbon, Leixoes and Azores where the vessel is deployed unaltered, the Gainn4Mos project said in a statement.

LNG bunker barge

In mid-January, a technical meeting was also held in Valencia concerning the LNG bunker barge for the Boluda Corporacion Maritima pilot project. It includes the conversion of the Spabunker 40 bunkering barge to deliver LNG to other vessels as well as using chilled gas for propulsion.

A final arrangement for the barge’s LNG storage tanks has been selected at the meeting between Fundación Valenciaport, Boluda, Seaplace, Directorate-General Merchant Shipping of Spain, Bureau Veritas and CIMNE, the Gainn4Mos project said.

The upper deck will hold three LNG tanks with the aim of maintaining the barge’s fossil fuel capacity. Configuration of the engine room has also been adapted for inclusion of LNG as fuel, it added.

LNG World News Staff