Page 77: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (November 2013)

www.marinelink.com 77Rolls-Royce reports on Sanmar Ship-yard?s completion of what it is calling the world?s Þ rst gas powered tug. The ceremony was held in Istanbul, Turkey, recently. Sanmar completed the Þ rst of two tugs for Norway?s Buksér og Berg- ing, which each feature two Rolls-Royce Bergen C26:33L6PG engines fueled purely by liqueÞ ed natural gas (LNG). The Þ rst boat, named Borgøy, will en- ter service next month following a series of sea trials. It will be operated by Nor- wegian state oil company Statoil at its Kårstø gas terminal.The Rolls-Royce propulsion package includes the gas tank and supply system and two of the latest design US35 azi-muth thrusters that ensure the tugs have rapid maneuvering and positioning capa-bilities ? essential for tug operation.Neil Gilliver, Rolls-Royce, President ? Merchant, said, ?The completion of this vessel is highly signiÞ cant for Rolls- Royce, Sanmar Shipyard and Buksér og Berging. We are extremely proud to have worked together on this successful proj-ect which heralds a new era for tug boat propulsion.?Gas is gaining in popularity as a maritime fuel, and its environmental credentials, combined with lower costs ,are seeing many operators select it over traditional fuels across a range of ship types.?Most of the world?s tug ß eets operate close to shore, where emissions regula-tions are most stringent. As LNG be- comes more widely available, I have no doubt that many major ports will soon opt for this clean, lower cost and smoke-free fuel to power their tugs.?The combination of Rolls-Royce gas engines and the latest thruster design, mean that the Borgøy and its sister ves- sel?s CO2 emissions, will be around 30% lower than conventionally-fuelled tugs. They will also comply with all known future emission regulations.World-First A Purely Gas-Powered Tug Neil Gilliver, Rolls-Royce, President, Merchant (front left) congratulates Ali Gurun, Sanmar Shipyard, Project Di- rector. MR #11 (74-81).indd 77MR #11 (74-81).indd 7711/12/2013 4:14:14 PM11/12/2013 4:14:14 PM