Lauro and Rolls-Royce team to develop gas fueled ferry

NOVEMBER 26, 2012 — Rolls-Royce has signed a teaming agreement with Italy’s Lauro Shipping to design innovative new gas powered ferries based on the Environship concept.

Lauro Shipping is one of the largest ferry operators in Italy’s Campania region, providing connections to the islands of Capri and Ischia and specializing in high speed ferries. The company has also recently acquired Siremar which operates services to Sicily.

The agreement is the first to use the Environship concept for a passenger vessel. It covers the basic design of a new ship class, which will be scalable for smaller and larger versions. Rolls-Royce and Lauro Shipping will jointly develop the design, prior to engaging with suitable shipbuilders. It follows previous orders for cargo ships which all benefit from a range of Rolls-Royce technologies that will reduce CO2 emissions by up to 40 per cent compared to similar diesel powered ships.

The NVC 256 will carry passengers and vehicles and is the latest ship design from the Rolls-Royce Environship range, incorporating a variety of features to reduce environmental impact while increasing efficiency, including an engine powered by LNG.

The new ferry concept will incorporate a Rolls-Royce solution including systems, equipment and ship design. This includes Bergen engines, a wave piercing bow and a Promas propulsion system which combines a propeller and rudder, reducing drag and enhancing maneuverability.

The Bergen B&C Series lean burn gas engines, as used in the Environship, emit around 22 per cent less CO2 (per unit of power) than a diesel engine. The use of gas fueled engines means that NOx emissions are reduced by about 90 per cent while SOx emissions are negligible.

The Promas propulsion system is an integrated rudder and propeller, which, says Rolls-Royce, alone improves efficiency of the vessel by 5 to 8 percent.

Another feature of the propulsion system is the Rolls-Royce Hybrid Shaft Generator (HSG) which produces electrical power from the propulsion engines instead of running auxiliary diesel generators. This optimizes on board power generation, cutting fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.

The Evironship’s innovative bow shape and hull form, designed by Rolls-Royce, also reduce resistance by up to 8 percent, reducing fuel burn and emissions further.

The vertical bow shape enables the vessel to maintain speed even in rough seas enabling operators to achieve demanding shipping schedules without the need to burn additional fuel to make up lost time.

Lauro Chief Executive Salvatore Lauro, said: “We’re pleased to announce this teaming agreement with Rolls-Royce to jointly develop an innovative, environmentally friendly Ro-Pax ferry design that will meet the latest technological requirements for emissions while reducing fuel consumption and operational costs.”

Neil Gilliver, Rolls-Royce, President – Merchant said: “This latest development for our Environship concept is proof that there’s a genuine desire from ship owners to embrace cutting edge marine technology to reduce environmental impact. We look forward to working with Lauro Shipping on this exciting project, which could be the first gas powered ferry operating in the Mediterranean.

“We have a huge amount of operational experience with gas powered vessels, particularly in Norway, and the fact that Lauro Shipping is leading the way in the Mediterranean, further enhances the global prospects for liquid natural gas (LNG) as a marine fuel.”