Damen Shipyards Group's Galati, Romania, yard recently launched the first LNG-fueled Damen EcoLiner inland shipping tanker, which is designed to give inland shipping operators much-needed fuel economy while cutting emissions. It has been developed with the help of more than €1.1m in co-financing from the EU as part of the Trans-European Transport Network Program's "LNG Masterplan for Rhine-Main-Danube" project.

The design combines conventional, proven engineering with sustainable innovations that include the world's first installations of the ACES (Air Chamber Energy Saving) air-lubricated hull, a gas-electrical shaft propulsion system and a Van der Velden Flex tunnel installation.

The pioneering vessel reduces fuel costs by up to 25 percent. Its efficiency was confirmed by comprehensive tank testing recently completed by Damen at the MARIN research institute.

According to Simon Provoost, Product Director Inland Waterway Transport at Damen Shipyards, testing how the design combined multiple innovations was very important so that Damen could offer the 3,040cbm capacity EcoLiner to the market with utmost confidence.

"After successfully testing at MARIN, we can now complete the build in the Netherlands and we're talking with a number of interested parties," he says. "Fuel accounts for a very large proportion of inland shipping costs, so if operators can save 20 percent or more, that generates a lot of interest,"

"Every part of the EcoLiner has been designed to reduce fuel consumption," Mr. Provoost continues. "That, combined with low-emission LNG instead of marine diesel, makes the EcoLiner easily the greenest inland shipping vessel in Europe. It's increasingly important for owners and clients to demonstrate sustainable operations and prepare for future 'green corridors' subject to inland emissions regulations."

The EcoLiner project is managed by Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld. Rob Schuurmans, project manager and the initiator of the concept says, "With the hull built in Romania and installation and outfitting of all main systems in the Netherlands, including all generator-gas engines, power management, propulsion and steering gear, we make efficient use of our specialized facilities. The ship is 110m long and is Bureau Veritas-classed. Delivery is scheduled in the summer of 2015."

The first EcoLiner will be delivered as a tanker, however the modular design can be built to transport any commodity, including containers and dry bulk. The complete LNG installation, including tanks with bunker capacity of approximately 45cbm LNG, is located aft of the accommodations, ensuring that the configuration forward of the cofferdam can be entirely tailored to customer-specific requirements.

The Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ADN-UNECE) approved the gas-powered design, meaning the vessel can travel on all international inland waterways.