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T
hink of a small LNG tanker running back and forth,
transporting LNG to and from land-based terminals,
and running on schedules much like that of a pizza
delivery car. These vessels need exceptional flexibility to
run safely and efficiently. By taking advantage of a variety
of operational modes in the coastal conditions where they
function, these vessels can better perform their tasks,
which include: loading, unloading and regular transits.
These small LNG tankers are constantly navigating
fluctuating marine conditions, as they transport their goods
from one dock to another. Wind, waves, currents, ice and
many other natural and operational conditions challenge
these vessels as they move about their daily tasks.
Until quite recently, conventional drive train technology
used in tanker vessels has been quite inflexible. This has
resulted in inefficient operations, high fuel consumption
and unsustainable levels of CO
2
emissions. In the end,
shipowners, too, experienced eroding profitability.
The traditional approach to compensate for these
fluctuating operating conditions is to overdimension the
Achieving
top
efficiency
on short
trips
Ville Parpala, Yaskawa Environmental Energy/The Switch,
Finland,
discusses how small LNG tankers can operate at top
efficiency when their trips are short and intermittent.
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