MARAD to fund LNG tugboat conversion

The US Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) will provide the US$1 million necessary to develop two new solutions for reducing emissions. In the first solution, MARAD will provide US$730 000 to Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities (PRCC) to convert a diesel-fuelled tugboat to LNG fuel. The second solution is the modification of an on-board air pollution control device. Both will help decrease the US maritime industry’s environmental impact.

PRCC has announced that it will collect data on air emissions both before and after the LNG conversion project, in order to compare operations and emissions.

Anthony Foxx, the US Transportation Secretary, said: “The Department continues to fund innovative projects that support a steady shift towards cleaner and sustainable transportation options.

“This public-private venture will produce the data required to further develop even cleaner and more sustainable maritime transportation options.”

These latest projects are part of MARAD’s Maritime Environmental and Technical Assistance Program (META), in which it seeks to carry out research and demonstration projects to identify viable alternative fuels and technology for marine applications.

Edited from press release by David Rowlands

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/small-scale-lng/26112015/marad-to-fund-lng-tugboat-conversion-1685/