---

The use of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as an alternative ship fuel was one of the main topics discussed at the inaugural meeting of Germanischer Lloyd's (GL) Baltic Committee.

More than 20 shipowners, yards and maritime supply industry representatives from 10 countries around the Baltic Sea attended the conference in Copenhagen on Friday 21st May. The meeting joined the Scandinavian and Polish Committee and included several shipowners and yards from other countries around the Baltic Sea.

The new Chairman of the GL Baltic Committee is Terje Orehagen, President Norgas Carriers Oslo. Torsten Schramm, GL's COO and Executive Vice President Region Europe / Middle East / Africa, thanked the two outgoing chairmen of the Scandinavian and Polish Committees, Hans Langh, Langh Ship AB Finland and Bogdan Szreder, retired Technical Director of Euroafrica Shipping Lines Szczecin Poland.

Ralf Plump, Head of Environmental Research Department, presented a study conducted by GL that was said to demonstrate that a gas-powered vessel would not only produce fewer emissions but also reduce the operating costs. Under 'certain conditions', a 1,500-TEU container feeder with a power output of 8,750 kW travelling at 16 knots could actually be more economical than an equivalent conventional freighter, according to the study.

The GL expert's calculations accounted for the following parameters: a low-sulphur fuel price that is higher than conventional fuel, a CO2 fee, the loss of income caused by installing gas tanks at the expense of approximately 50 container slots, and the investment costs for the gas tanks.

A significant result of the calculations was that after 15 years of operation the cumulative costs of a gas-powered propulsion system were said to be approximately one million US dollars lower than those of a conventional propulsion system. The general rule is that the higher the difference between conventional fuel and low-sulphur fuel (e.g. marine gas oil) the higher the cost savings when using LNG.

GL said it is currently participating in a joint pilot project to work out the operational and technical details of this model.