GREENPORTS 1

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Delivery of LNG barge delayed by gas pressure problems in its propulsion system

Bremerhaven’s innovative new €4.9million LNG driven hopper barge greenports 1 is taking much longer than planned to enter service because of gas pressure problems in its propulsion system. A spokesman for operators bremenports told Maritime Journal the new 70.5m long, 10.5m wide newbuilding was moored as of late October in the port’s Fischereihafen. It is now well over a year since the newbuilding had been expected to join the bremenports workboat fleet as “the first pure LNG driven hopper barge to serve in a German, and probably European port “. The spokesman said “the technical issues (with the ship) concern problems with pressure equalisation. A definite date for entering service has not as yet been set”, he added. The problems have apparently existed since the ship underwent dredging trials in Bremerhaven’s Überseehafen a year ago following its completion at Dutch shipyard SCHN in Foxhol. The ship was returned to Holland where further adaptations to the LNG drive system were made. It was towed back to Bremerhaven early this month but the problems remain, the spokesman said. http://www.maritimejournal.com/news101/industry-news/problems-delay-new-weser-lng-barge