Gondan Shipyard launches third European built LNG tug

Spanish Gondan Shipyards in Figueras launched the third LNG-fueled tug for the Norwegian shipowner Østensjø Rederi on Tuesday, December 13. 

This new escort tug, with 40.2 meters length and 16 meters beam, will provide tug services to Norway’s Statoil, at the Hammerfest LNG terminal at Melkøya island, the shipyard said in its statement.

The tug has been built specifically to grant full operational availability at temperatures of 20 degrees below zero and is using liquefied natural gas as fuel in most of its operations, with the option to use diesel power.

For the next few months, this new vessel will be moored at the yard´s quay while being outfitted according to the best shipbuilding standards, until completion, when it will be ready for the thorough sea trials and the following delivery in 2017.

The design of the tugs has been carried out by Robert Allan in Canada, in close cooperation with Østensjø Rederi.

The three tugs ordered at the Spanish shipyard are claimed to be the first LNG-fueled tugs to be built in Europe.

The first tug in the series was launched in July 2016, while the second tug was launched at the beginning of September, according to the shipyard’s website.

LNG World News Staff