Swedish shipowner Furetank is in negotiations to secure biogas for its fleet of LNG-powered product and chemical tankers as it looks to further slash emissions.
Furetank has just taken delivery of the eighth dual-fueled product and chemical tanker Sweden’s Gothia Tanker Alliance has ordered at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard.
Swedish LNG-powered tanker Fure Viten would on Tuesday depart from the yard to start its maiden voyage to Europe, Furetank said in a statement.
Low EEDI value
Furetanks says the vessel already complies with the UN climate goals for shipping,
“Thanks to gas propulsion and a unique combination of fuel-saving solutions, it reaches a very low EEDI value of 4.65. This means that Furetank’s new vessel series today already meets the emission targets for 2050,” the firm said.
Fure Viten is the latest vessel in a series of eight vessels so far, out of which Furetank owns four and commercially operates all.
Besides Furetank, the other vessel owners include Alvtank and Thun Tankers.
The 16,300 dwt medium-sized tankers with a load capacity of 20,300 cubic meters feature Wartsila LNG propulsion and battery backup as well.
Each of the FKAB-designed ice-class ships is 149 meters long and 22.8 meters wide.
LBG is the next step
The vessels will run on LNG but also liquefied biogas once it becomes avaliable.
“The next step will be to operate the ships completely without fossil fuels,” Lars Höglund, CEO of Furetank, said.
“We are in the process of securing the supply of larger quantities of biogas within a year or so, through an exclusive agreement with a supplier. My view is that in 2030 we will run these vessels largely on LBG with zero fossil emissions,” he said.
In addtion, Furetank says Fure Viten and preceding sister vessel Fure Vinga were the first tankers in Europe fully equipped to operate the energy-demanding cargo pumps with 6.6 kV high voltage shore power.
This would reduce emissions even further as soon as ports offer the opportunity, the firm said.
