Wärtsilä has agreed to supply specialist reliquefaction equipment for a retrofit project converting a Liquiefied Natural Gas (LNG) carrier vessel to a floating storage unit for Energos Infrastructure.
The manufacturing and technology company will supply a reliquefaction system for the vessel, named the Energos Grand, which limits waste by allowing boil-off-gas (BOG) from the LNG to be reliquefied and returned to the cargo tanks.
Tim Twomey, senior vice-president of fleet technical for Energos, said his company had “no hesitation” partnering with Wärtsilä on the project due to the company’s experience and expertise in this field.
Twomey said: “We are therefore glad to again team up with Wärtsilä as a critical partner for our conversion projects and view their reliability and robust technology as an important factor to proceed with this project.”
LNG fuels have become increasingly popular in the shipping industry as a transitional fuel thanks to their potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% as well as almost eliminate all fine particle and sulphur emissions, reduced by 99%.
Wärtsilä’s equipment was booked in March 2023 and is expected to be delivered during the first half of 2024 to the 145,880 m3 capacity vessel, which is being chartered by New Fortress Energy.
The Finnish company describes itself as a pioneer in the reliquefaction field of its reversed nitrogen Brayton cycle refrigeration-based technology that can contribute to a reduction in emissions and costs.
Pål Steinnes, head of sales and business development midstream for Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, said: “This project shows New Fortress Energy’s and Energos’ commitment to improving the environmental profile of their fleet and we are happy to once again be shown the trust of these partners in this conversion project.
“Our robust and reliable Compact Reliq technology is a perfect match for such applications. It combines cost-efficiency with low maintenance to deliver a solid environmental and commercial return.”
Wärtsilä has become known for its advancements in sustainable tech in the shipping industry through its decarbonisation modelling offerings and its Sustainable Technology Hub in Vaasa in Finland, which produces green technology solutions in areas such as sustainable fuels like LNG.
