LNG conversion project “Münsterland” reaches final stage with finishing the interior
The passenger ship ‘Munsterland’ left the dock location of Royal Niestern Sander in Delfzijl. The ship will be completed in the coming period at the inner dike location of the Groningen shipyard. With this the final phase of the conversion project has started, according to the company's release.
The AG Ems passenger ship arrived at Niestern Sander’s dock location in early January. After the ship had been put dry in dock 1, the aft ship was removed and replaced by a newly built aft ship. This completely newly designed and built stern contains dual fuel engines, an LNG storage tank, propulsion system, all LNG installations, pipelines and other systems.
Niestern Sander’s project approach is based on the two pillars of the company: ship building and ship repair. Due to the combination of new shipbuilding and ship repair, the majority of the conversion operation takes place physically at the new shipbuilding yard, after which parts are combined in the repair dock to form a completely renovated ship.
With the LNG conversion, the Münsterland will emit considerably less Co2 and therefore be much less harmful to the environment than comparable ships with traditional diesel engines. The new shape of the stern will also reduce the hull resistance. As a result, the ship needs less engine power to sail at the same speed, which means a reduction in fuel consumption and noise.
With the Münsterland, Royal Niestern Sander has the opportunity to demonstrate the economic feasibility of an LNG conversion in practice thanks to its unique conversion method. The Münsterland will be put back into service in its new form by AG Ems in the summer of 2021.
For this innovation process, Niestern Sander receives a contribution from the European Fund for Regional Development of the European Union.
