Largest LBG contract in shipping
The 7.5-year deal is touted as the largest global contract for supplying LBG to a ship operator. It includes near-daily delivery to Hurtigruten ships, the first cruise vessels to be powered by fossil-free LBG.
'This is a large and significant move for Hurtigruten, for Biokraft, for green solutions in the global shipping industry and, most importantly, for the environment,' Hurtigruten CEO Daniel Skjeldam said.
Battery-biogas hybrid ships
Hurtigruten will replace conventional engines with gas-powered engines and large battery packs on at least six ships by 2021. The hybrid ships will run on a combination of clean electric power, LNG and LBG.
'We are proud to partner with Hurtigruten and see this as a major step towards green and sustainable shipping,' Biokraft CEO Håvard Wollan said.
The first biogas delivery to Hurtigruten is expected to take place in 2020.
Renewable biogas is a clean source of energy and considered the most eco-friendly fuel currently available. It is already used as fuel in small parts of the transport sector, especially in buses.
Norway's opportunity
Norway, which has large fishery and forestry sectors that produce a steady volume of organic waste, has an opportunity to become world leader in biogas production.
'Norway has a long history as one of the world’s leading maritime nations and has been living off the oceans for generations. Currently our oceans are under pressure from climate change and pollution. This is what we are working to change with dedicated partners like Hurtigruten,' Wollan said.
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