Interferry reports Norwegian ferry operator Fjord Line's two new international cruise ferries will be powered solely by liquefied natural gas (LNG) instead of heavy fuel oil.

When 'MS Stavangerfjord' is put in operation in 2013, the company claims it will be the first and largest cruise ferry in the world to sail only with LNG power.

"In this way Fjord Line will meet the new, stricter standards for sulfur content in fuels long before the deadline in 2015," says CEO Ingvald Fardal.

Fjord Line has two new cruise ferries under construction at Norwegian shipbuilder Bergen Group Fosen. While other shipping companies have based natural gas operations on dual-fuel engines, Fjord Line states it is going "one step further" by using a "single LNG engine" to reduce emissions.

"In addition to meeting important environmental considerations, natural gas operation will be more cost-effective than heavy fuel oil," says Fjord Line's CEO.

"LNG contains no sulfur or heavy metals," stated Fjord Line. "It reduces CO2 emissions by 20-30 per cent, and emissions of NOx by around 90 per cent compared to heavy fuel oil."

"This means we can offer the greenest sea routes between Norway and the EU."

Fjord Line has selected Rolls-Royce as the supplier of the LNG engines. The engines will be built in Norway

BergenGroup.no – Bergen & Omegn

(www.bergengroup.no)

http://fjordline.com/

(www.interferry.com)