zoomImage Courtesy: Helengi Engineering

Greek company Helengi Engineering has debuted its LNG bunker feeder vessel Amaltheia at the exhibition Posidonia 2016 being held in Athens, at the same time when Greece is said to be entering the ‘LNG era in the Med and Aegean’.

The vessel is designed and engineered by the company in collaboration with NAP Engineering.

According to Helengi Engineering, “it is the first time that Greek companies undertake such a demanding and complex design on this special type of vessel.”

The purpose of the vessel is to provide bunkering LNG services to the Port of Piraeus as well as to feed with LNG fuel other ports such as Patras and Heraklion, according to the company.

Amaltheia has a capacity of 1,400 cubic meters of LNG, however, the vessel can accommodate up to 2,000 cubic meters depending on requirements.

Following Amaltheia, the company said more LNG vessels of various capacities are to be built.

LNG is being promoted at the event as the alternative fuel of the future. In this context, the PoseidonMed LNG bunkering project was presented on June 8.

PoseidonMed is the initiative from EU countries in the Eastern Mediterranean and Adriatic Sea led by QEnergy Europe and organized by experts in marine energy, gas and finance sectors.

The project’s ultimate objective is to prepare in detail a global solution of infrastructure development in the Mediterranean area so that LNG can be embraced as the marine fuel of the future.

“The project is addressing the commercial, financing, regulatory and technical drivers to see the first LNG-fueled in operation in the Eastern Mediterranean,” as explained by conference chairman Nick Brown, Lloyd’s Register’s Marine COO.

Project partners outlined at the conference the latest developments including upgraded storage capacity work underway at the Revithoussa LNG Terminal just outside of the Port of Piraeus, where a third tank is under construction to meet anticipated demand.