Spain’s Balearia plans $70.2m LNG conversion investment

Spanish ferry operator Baleària plans to spend 60 million euros ($70.2 million) to covert five of its ferries to use liquefied natural gas (LNG) as fuel in the next two years.

Work on the first ferry Naples is expected to start this winter, according to a Baleària statement.

The other ferries to be converted to LNG fuel are Abel Matutes, Sicily, Bahama Mama and Martin i Soler.

In addition to these five vessels, Baleària said in the statement it was “studying two other LNG projects.”

Balearia currently has two new LNG powered ferries under construction at the Cantiere Navale Visentini shipyard in Italy. The first vessel is expected to be operational from next February.

Balearia’s president Adolfo Utor said in the statement that the ferry company aims to have nine LNG-powered ships in its fleet within the next three years.

LNG World News Staff