Norway’s Hoglund said it has secured a contract to retrofit four LNG-ready chemical tankers owned by compatriot shipping firm Utkilen.
The project would see the design and installation of fuel gas supply systems (FGSS) on Utkilen’s LNG-ready sister vessels, namely Mostraum, Vikstraum, Saltstraum and Sydstraum, Hoglund said in a statement.
Moreover, Hoglund said it would work with fellow Norway-based design and piping firm Skarweld on the project.
Hoglund will supply and deliver a control system and a monitoring system as part of an overall energy turnkey solution while Skarweld will design and implement the piping system for the vessels.
According to Hoglund, the main part of the work would be carried out whilst the ships are in service in order to reduce downtime. This excludes the installation of the tank which Hoglund would complete at a yard, it said.
“This type of installation makes future-proofing shipping assets compatible with the ongoing activity of the vessels, overcoming potential commercial barriers to retrofits,” the firm said.
Improving environmental performance
Hoglund says this project “further exemplifies” shipowners’ and operators’ increasing recognition of systems integration as a key element to improve the environmental performance of individual vessels and wider fleets.
“This project will be particularly interesting due to the fact that, despite being LNG-ready, the four vessels lack gas energy systems, which is something that we are increasingly noticing in the industry,” David Gunaseelan, VP sales and marketing at Hoglund, said.