Energy giant Shell will soon start using the first out of 40 LNG-powered inland waterway barges built by Dutch shipbuilder Concordia Damen.
To remind, institutional investors advised by J.P. Morgan Asset Management ordered the barges in November 2020.
All of the barges, known as the Parsifal tankers, will go on charter to Shell while VT Group/Marlow will operate them.
VT said in a short statement during the weekend that the first barge, Blue Marjan, would “soon” leave the yard, but it did not provide any additional information.
According to its AIS data, the vessel left Werkendam and was late on Sunday located in the port of Rotterdam.
Concordia Damen floated out this barge in Serbia in June last year and subsequently, the vessel arrived at its yard in Werkendam later the same month.
In August, the barge received Cryonorm’s LNG marine fuel system in Werkendam.
Cryonorm won the contract from Concordia Damen to supply LNG fuel systems for all of the 40 vessels in November 2020.
The fuel systems will supply natural gas to the stage V MAN Rollo gas generator sets. Dutch-based MAN Rollo will supply generator sets for all of the vessels.
The 495 ekW LNG sets will serve for propulsion and onboard power, while the 277 ekW diesel sets will serve as a backup, according to MAN Rollo.
All of the dual-fuel barges will be 110 meters long and 11.5 meters wide.
They will feature shallow draught capabilities and will carry mineral oils between Antwerp, Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Rhine network.
Concordia Damen previously said it had planned to deliver the first tanker in November 2021 and the other vessels each other month, completing the order by December 2024.