LNG Barge Performs First Cruise Ship Cold Ironing in Europe
The LNG hybrid barge Hummel provided the so-called ”cold ironing” (providing shoreside electrical power) to its first cruise ship - the AIDAsol - berthed at the Port of Hamburg on May 30.
Becker Marine Systems’ barge provided 7.5 megawatts of low-emission power to AIDAsol during its layover at port.
The infeed of power on the cruise ship was for the first time ensured by way of LNG fuel.
”This means that we have carried out the first successful transfer of power to a cruise ship in Europe,” said Dirk Lehmann and Henning Kuhlmann, both Managing Directors of Becker Marine Systems.
”With this successful premiere, the Port of Hamburg is serving as a global role model. Credit is also due to our partner AIDA Cruises, who were deeply involved in this technically challenging project.”
However, apart from AIDAsol, up till now only a few other ships have been able to receive power from such a barge.
The LNG Hybrid Barge developed and operated by the Hamburg-based company works like a floating power plant that generates power via a gas container filled with 15 tonnes of LNG for low-emission transfer to the cruise ship.
Compared to conventional marine diesel with 0.1% sulphur content, the Hummel emits no sulphur dioxides or soot, according to Becker Marine. Emissions of nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide are also significantly reduced.
