OREANDA-NEWS. The Rolls-Royce powered Bergen Viking has returned to service following a successful conversion from diesel-electric to Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)-electric propulsion.

LNG is growing in popularity as a marine fuel, and to date Rolls-Royce has delivered a total of 63 LNG engines to ships. LNG reduces Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) emissions by about 90 per cent while Sulphur Oxide (SOx) and particulates emissions are negligible. LNG engines also reduce CO2 emissions by 25 to 30 percent in general, compared to diesel or heavy fuel oil powered vessels. Emissions from Rolls-Royce gas engines are already within the limits of International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Tier III environmental legislation, due to come into force in 2016.

The retrofit replaced four of the ship’s original six diesel generating sets with two Rolls-Royce Bergen C6 generating sets. The LNG fuel containment system and control system is delivered by two off 155m? fuel tanks configured for redundant propulsion, with crossover options both on bunkering and supply lines.

Kjell Olav Haugland, Managing Director of Bergen Tankers, said: “We are delighted to take over a renewed and more environmental friendly vessel. Our fleet sails along the long and beautiful Norwegian coast, and visit several ports every day, reducing emissions is an obligation we take very seriously. With the Bergen Viking returning to service we are also looking forward to significant savings in operational costs.”

John Knudsen, Rolls-Royce, President - Commercial Marine, said: “The Bergen Viking project demonstrates that LNG is an option not just for new vessels but can be successfully retrofitted into existing ships to deliver significant economic and environmental benefits for owners.”

The Bergen Viking is a 95 metre long chemical and product tanker, owned by Bergen Tankers supplying diesel and petrol along the Norwegian coastline in trade for Statoil. Delivered in 2007, the vessel is part of a total fleet of six vessels owned by Bergen Tankers AS.

Rolls-Royce engines fuelled solely by natural gas have been in production since 1991 and have completed over 25 million hours of operation; one million at sea. Since the introduction of Bergen Engines lean burn technology, more than 650 gas engines have been delivered for operation on land and at sea. The first engines using LNG entered service in 2006 powering doubled-end car ferries. The 63 Bergen LNG-fuelled marine engines are now in operation on a range of ship types including coastal cargo ships, tankers, cruise ferries, tugs and offshore support vessels.

Rolls-Royce has developed its expertise in the use of LNG as a marine fuel and secured a range of contracts to power both new vessels and retrofits.

These include a collaboration agreement with Spanish energy company Gas Natural Fenosa to develop and install a pure-gas Bergen engine aboard the Bale?ria-operated ferry Abel Matutes a 29,670 tonne ROPAX ferry, delivered in 2010.The contract gives Rolls-Royce its first reference for a pure-gas engine installation on a European-flagged ferry operating outside of Norwegian waters.

The company has also signed a contract with Keppel Shipyard in Singapore to supply two all-gas engines for power generation on-board a Floating Liquefaction Vessel (FLNGV) owned by Golar LNG Ltd. The vessel Hilli was a former LNG carrier and is being converted to a FLNGV carrier. The contract includes an option for additional two engines for a second Golar LNG carrier to be converted, Gimi.

The Bergen engine range is produced in Norway by Rolls-Royce Power Systems, part of the Group’s Land & Sea division.

About Rolls-Royce Holdings plc

  1. Rolls-Royce’s vision is to create better power for a changing world via two main business divisions, Aerospace and Land & Sea. These business divisions address markets with two strong technology platforms, gas turbines and reciprocating engines. Aerospace comprises Civil Aerospace and Defence Aerospace. Land & Sea comprises Marine, Nuclear and Power Systems.
  2. Rolls-Royce has customers in more than 120 countries, comprising more than 380 airlines and leasing customers, 160 armed forces, 4,000 marine customers including 70 navies, and more than 5,000 power and nuclear customers.
  3. Our business is focused on the 4Cs:
    • Customer – placing the customer at the heart of our business
    • Concentration – deciding where to grow and where not to
    • Cost – continually looking to increase efficiency
    • Cash – improving financial performance.
  4. Annual underlying revenue was ?14.6 billion in 2014, around half of which came from the provision of aftermarket services. The firm and announced order book stood at ?73.7 billion at the end of 2014.
  5. In 2014, Rolls-Royce invested ?1.2 billion on research and development. We also support a global network of 31 University Technology Centres, which position Rolls-Royce engineers at the forefront of scientific research.
  6. Rolls-Royce employs over 54,000 people in more than 50 countries. Over 15,500 of these are engineers.
  7. The Group has a strong commitment to apprentice and graduate recruitment and to further developing employee skills. In 2014 we employed 354 graduates and 357 apprentices through our worldwide training programmes. Globally we have over 1,000 Rolls-Royce STEM ambassadors who are actively involved in education programmes and activities; we have set ourselves a target to reach 6 million people through our STEM outreach activities by 2020.

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