Consortium examines gas fuelled 14,000teu boxship

The Joint Development Project between Capital, LR and DSME will specifically examine LNG as fuel, its technology specification and costs including fuel performance, as well as the potential safety implications of its use on a future 14,000teu container ship design which will be developed with input from all three stakeholders.

Under Capital’s business strategy it has established a task force to implement specific actions, plans, processes, and to develop systems addressing sustainability. The strategy will encompass a drive to reduce the energy required to operate and explore and evaluate the potential of alternative marine fuels – particularly LNG. LR is providing independent verification of Capital’s sustainability performance to ensure effective measurement of progress and client awareness of key performance indicators as well as supporting the LNG as fuel joint development project.

Capital chairman Evangelos Marinakis said: “We need to understand and derive the maximum benefit from new technologies and the innovations that can drive total corporate performance – making our ships more efficient and attractive in the market place, offering our seafarers safe and rewarding careers, all while working to reduce the environmental impact of the ships we manage.”

“Capital’s strategy is a platform for innovation,” said Apostolos Poulovassilis, regional marine manager EMEA for Lloyd’s Register. “And we provide independent insight, risk analysis, experience and the verification to support operational and investment decisions – as new systems, processes and technologies are considered and adopted. Capital is addressing the issues that are raised by the research and development that we have carried out to date such as our Global Marine Fuel Trends 2030 report issued in March.”

Mr Marinakis concluded: “Capital Ship Management strongly believes that the benefits of lower SOx, NOx and, potentially, reduced greenhouse gas emissions makes LNG as a marine fuel an attractive option. We think that competitive LNG pricing and an adequate global LNG bunkering infrastructure could be a reality within five to ten years. We want to be ready and we welcome the broad support that our partners LR and DSME can provide in helping us develop more sustainable shipping solutions.”