Three marine sector companies, WinGD, Wärtsilä and GTT, have agreed to collaborate in making the use of LNG fuel a viable option for ship owners and operators.

The three companies plan on delivering a streamlined approach for achieving compliance with environmental legislation, according to their joint statement.

In 2017, a notable advance in the acceptance of LNG as a marine fuel was recorded with an order by CMA CGM for nine containerships, each with a capacity of 22,000 TEU, to be built with LNG fuelled engines. These will be the first vessels of this type and size to operate on LNG.

WinGD, Wärtsilä, and GTT cooperated closely in providing the required equipment for these vessels, which led to the collaboration.

“High efficiency and environmental sustainability are key pillars in building a successful future for shipping,” said Rolf Stiefel, vice president sales & marketing, WinGD, adding that “this is why it’s so important to work together, with other industry leaders, to make ship propulsion as efficient and ‘green’ as possible.”

Timo Koponen, vice president, processing solutions, Wärtsilä, noted that global marine industry is undergoing a change with “the conservative barriers that once resisted switching to a “new” fuel falling down, and LNG is now being accepted as a fuel for all types of ships.”

He added that the aim of the collaboration is to speed up this process.

The three companies combine the know-how of the engines, the fuel cargo tanks, and the fuel supply and control system, that are all required for operation on LNG as fuel, concluded the chairman and CEO of GTT Philippe Berterottière.