Cargo Ferry concept launched
Published by Callum O'Reilly,
Senior Editor
LNG Industry,
A group of 27 companies with interests and expertise in short sea shipping, led by DNV GL, Shortsea Services and Marintek, have presented the Cargo Ferry project on board Nor Line's new LNG fuelled ship, the M/S Kvitbjørn.
The concept has been developed as an alternative transport solution for containers that are carried for more than 200 km on land
The report presents a logistics solution, concept ship and market analysis, while also documenting the Cargo Ferry's potential profitability.
The main market for the Cargo Ferry concept is goods that are currently transported on trucks for long distances to and from coastal Norwegian towns.
The concept offers transport to and from destinations that are linked together by efficient maritime transport on four main routes, including distribution to and from ports. The logistics solution covers the transport of goods from one goods terminal or warehouse to another, but can also include transport from a sender to a recipient, or be limited to only port-to-port. The primary customers are those that fill up a container, either as a full container load or a large less-than-container load.
Eco-friendly concept ship
Cargo Ferry is built around a concept for a new ‘lift on/lift off’ (LoLo) vessel. With its own cranes and cell guides the vessel can carry 110 - 140 40/45 ft containers. The LNG-fuelled ship has a service speed of 12 - 15 knots. It also has a battery for hybrid operation and can use shore power. The vessel operates without assistance from shore through the use of an automated mooring system.
Reduced environmental impact
A fully developed solution with the capacity to deal with the cargo volume identified in the report will require 14 ships transporting the equivalent of 220 000 – 270 000 45 ft containers per year. However, the overall transport price will be 20 - 30% lower than if trucks are used and the concept is flexible, punctual, eco-friendly and has daily departures.
Remi Eriksen, DNV GL Group Executive Vice President and COO, said: "It will be possible to transfer 5 million t of cargo from roads to the sea, at a minimal cost to the authorities.”
LNG-fuelled vessel
The M/S Kvitbjørn is fuelled by LNG and can carry as much cargo as 200 trucks.
The DNV GL classed ship will sail on a fixed route between northern Europe along the coast of Norway to the north of the country and back. Developed in close cooperation with Rolls-Royce, the vessel has an innovative hull design, propulsion system and power generation system on board.
Edited from press release by Callum O'Reilly
Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/liquid-natural-gas/20042015/cargo-ferry-concept-launched-/
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