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Spanish ferry operator Balearia last week gave a presentation regarding its commitment to liquefied natural gas (LNG) at the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) 71st session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC).

Under the title 'Why Balearia chooses LNG. Balearia and environmental efficiency: a commitment to the future', fleet director Guillermo Alomar stressed that "innovation is the way to be more competitive and achieve excellence in management", and that, in Balearia's case, this was reflected in "an efficient fleet that was capable of reducing fuel consumption and minimize pollutant emissions."

Alomar presented to the committee the projects developed by Balearia related to the use of LNG. The shipping firm is to invest around EUR 320 million in three new ships that will be propelled by natural gas. Two new dual-fuel, gas-powered ferries are to be built at the Cantiere Navale Visentini shipyard in Italy, whilst one LNG-fuelled ro-ro ferry is to be constructed at the Construcciones Navales del Norte SL (LaNaval) shipyard in Sestao, Spain.

Meanwhile, another Balearia vessel, the 2010-built Abel Matutes, has already been retrofitted with a 30-cubic-metre LNG storage tank and an auxiliary natural gas engine built by Rolls-Royce. The vessel operates between Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca on a daily basis and was first supplied with LNG in Barcelona in January.

Alomar stressed that the ferry company was committed to the environment and eco-efficiency and was moving forward with the use of new technology in order to reduce emissions.

Alomar added that Balearia is a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact initiative and committed to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.