By next summer Bergen based shipowner and operator Utkilen AS will have four new chemical tankers in their fleet. The choice of new energy efficient and green solutions on the vessels will lead to considerable reduction in fuel consumption and emissions.
Our new cluster partner Utkilen is one of the major seaway transporting companies of chemicals and other bulk liquid cargoes in Northern Europe. In June the company took delivery of a new chemical tanker Mostraum from the AVIC Dingheng shipyard in China. MT Mostraum (10.500 dwt) is prepared with LNG ready engines and SCR technology to reduce NOX emissions. Waste heat from the main engine is used for heating tank cleaning water. This October, Utkilen also took delivery of sister vessel MT Vikstraum. By next summer, two more vessels will arrive from China. In total, each of the four ships will save both Utkilen and the environment 1300 tons of fuel each year, compared to similar but older tonnage.
– It´s crucial to take care of the environment, also for us in the shipping business. We must choose sustainable solutions, and Environmental sustainability is increasingly becoming a demand from our clients as well to continue to be an attractive shipping partner, says Technical Manager Sven Rolfsen, from Utkilen.
The four new ships are also prepared for shore power during loading and unloading of cargo. This could potentially reduce emissions even more as the power demand during discharge is up to 1100 kW, and 300 kW during loading. The ships normally have one loading and discharging operation per week.
– Today none off the port we trade to offer shore power facilities. But one of our largest customers, OMYA, based outside of Molde, is planning shore power facilities for ships, says Rolfsen.
Need for more knowledge-sharing in the shipping sector
In October Utkilen was accepted as new member of NCE Maritime CleanTech, and the company plans to continue their work with the green shift in the maritime sector.
– During the last couple of years, we have executed several successful fuel reductions projects. Through our new-build program we will soon have four new ships with substantially lower. Each vessel built as flexible as possible to be able to adjust to new types of fuels in the future. By joining the cluster, we look forward to sharing our experience with other cluster participants. In general, there isn´t much exchange of experience in the shipping sector. That´s why we see the cluster as a very useful arena for us, Rolfsen says.
Utkilen AS is a fully integrated shipping company with headquarters in Bergen, operating the short sea sector. The shipowner has 50 shore employees in Norway and smaller departments both in Latvia and the Philippines. When all the new ships are delivered, Utkilen will have a fleet consisting of 25 ships (6.500 to 20.000 dwt).