Solvang’s new-builds, the greenest and most fuel efficient ever

The vessel are equipped with the world’s first full scale exhaust gas cleaning system (scrubber); a system that removes 95% of the SOx and 85 % of the particles. This exhaust gas cleaning system enables the vessels to operate on one type of fuel (low cost, high quality heavy fuel oil), and therefore avoiding risky fuel changeover operations which is the alternative after January 1st 2015, where all vessels operating within Europe and US are forced to use low sulphure fuel (<0,1%S). The exhaust gas cleaning system gives an environmentally friendly, safe and above all a cost effective vessel.

 

The decision to go for an exhaust gas cleaning system was made after careful evaluation of possible alternative solutions, such as operating on marine gas oil, LPG and LNG. Where all of these alternatives were found either too expensive or not practical with today’s available technology for a longhaul LPG carrier. One key factor in the decision to go for an exhaust gas cleaning system is the probability of the new-build operating substantially in, as well as out of an emission control area. All vessels in an emission control area will need to use fuels with a sulphur content of max 0.1%, or to clean the engine exhaust of its sulphur oxide content to an equivalent level.

The exhaust gas cleaning is one part of a series of techniques for making the vessel as efficient, economic and as green as possible. Solvang Vessel Performance Monitoring system reveals that our last new-build has approximately 40% lower fuel consumption, and 60% lower NOx emissions than the vessels built 30 years ago. Furthermore the new-build is estimated to have 15% better fuel efficiency compared to similar modern vessels, while the NOx reduction is estimated to around 30% compared to Solvang’s most fuel efficient vessel today.

EXTERNAL ARTICLES
Stavanger Aftenblad, January 19 2012
Significant Ships of 2013
The Motorship, March 25 2014
SYSLA, July 28 2014
maritime.no, May 19 2015
Teknisk Ukeblad, June 2 2015
DNV GL Gas Carrier Update 2015 (p. 8)