Naturgy and Baleària reduce emissions with natural gas engine in passenger ferry

April 26, 2019. The installation of a natural gas auxiliary engine on the passenger ship Abel Matutes of Baleària in 2017 has become the first successful experience in Spain to achieve the reduction of 1,300 tons of CO2 emissions. According to the data compiled by Baleària and Naturgy between June 2017 and October 2018, the use of this auxiliary engine also meant a very significant reduction of polluting emissions harmful to health, specifically, of about 20 tons of NOx, of two tons of SOx and half a ton of particles.

The President of Baleària, Adolfo Utor, said “Baleària’s commitment to an eco-efficient fleet is based on smart ships powered by gas. In addition to this pilot project, which we value very positively, the shipping company already has two vessels sailing to LNG, two new constructions and the re-deployment of five more vessels. In this sense, the Abel Matutes ferry will be the next to fully sail with this clean energy. Utor also highlighted Baleària’s conviction for using LNG and contributing to the fight against climate change.

“The results obtained in this study and related to safety, efficiency, reduction of emissions and noise, as well as fuel consumption, among others, have been better than expected. Our collaboration with Baleària is another example of the importance of defining and designing feasible and innovative technological solutions for the generation of clean auxiliary energy,” explained Vicente Gramuntell, Iberia Operations Director of Naturgy, during the presentation of the main conclusions of the initiative.

For her part, the President of the Port of Barcelona, ​​Mercé Conesa, stressed that the Catalan installation has become the first port in the Mediterranean to supply LNG to a ferry on a regular and continuous basis. “Air quality is a priority for the Port of Barcelona and the promotion of liquefied natural gas as an alternative fuel for ships and trucks is precisely a strategic axis of our Air Quality Improvement Plan. CleanPort demonstrates not only that LNG as a fuel for ships is viable from the economic point of view, but also translates into a very significant reduction of polluting emissions”.

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