KNOT orders DF shuttle tankers with VOC
The two vessels are expected to be delivered from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) in August 2022. The two shuttle tankers will operate in the North Sea under firm time-charter periods with Italian energy major ENI.
The two vessels are the first series of vessels to be ordered by KNOT from DSME with a volatile organic compound (VOC) recovery system. On the Norwegian continental shelf, operators of offshore oil fields face stringent regulations relating to VOC. Oilfield licence holders are responsible for ensuring that shuttle tankers in their employ use appropriate VOC control equipment. The VOC recovery plant will ensure compliance with tighter Norwegian government requirements that are expected to be implemented in 2030.
The vessels will be able to reduce emissions of CO2 equivalents significantly compared to conventional shuttle tankers, through using LNG as the primary fuel and further utilized the energy recovered from volatile organic compounds. The vessels will feature a battery-hybrid package to save energy during DP operation.
By adopting electric propulsion and a low loss hybridisation system, the design is expected to allow optimisation of total mechanical installed power compared with conventional shuttle tankers.
KNOT currently has a 40% share of the world shuttle tanker market, excluding vessels on order and shuttle tankers in the Russian Federation. Including this contract, KNOT will have 34 shuttle tankers in operation or on order.
