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The regulations regarding a ship’s emissions are becoming stricter. From 2015, new exhaust gas emission requirements (e.g. Sulphur Emission Control Area (SECA)) will come into effect. To meet regulations and the increasing environmental awareness of the shipping companies, new environmentally friendly platforms, like the LNG-Hybrid Barge, are being developed. In 2015, the first LNG-Hybrid Barge will serve the AIDA cruise fleet at the port of Hamburg, reducing the cruise ship’s sulphur oxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon dioxide and particle emissions. During the summer season, the Hybrid Barge will provide electrical energy for the AIDA and other cruise ships. In winter, during the cruise off-season, the LNG-Hybrid Barge will provide both electrical energy and heat for the public grid. 
Image by Imtech Marine
Imtech Marine’s innovative Power Management System The Power Management System (PMS) of the LNG-Hybrid Barge was one of the most challenging tasks for Imtech Marine, comparing its innovative approach with traditional PMS of seagoing vessels. Due to its different functionalities for summer and winter operation at different net frequencies (50/60 Hz), the PMS of the Hybrid Barge is very complex and needed a special technological solution. In summer, the PMS of the Hybrid Barge has to interact with the PMS of the AIDA vessel. During this process, the complete electrical load of the AIDA vessel will be transferred to the LNG-Hybrid barge in a specific time frame. To provide the whole load of an AIDA vessel, it is necessary that all five gas engines of the LNG-Hybrid Barge run in parallel and already before being connected to the ship. After the load transfer from the ship to the LNG-Hybrid Barge, all the engines on the AIDA will be stopped (cold ironing). During winter operation, a load-dependent start and stop of the LNG-Hybrid Barge’s gas engines is provided. An additional challenge is the handling of the electrical power cable due to the large tide range of approximately three metres in the Hamburg harbour. With this project, Imtech Marine further enhanced its experience in the field of ‘green’ projects and was able to prove itself a trustworthy partner when asked for innovative solutions and energy efficient technology. Profile Imtech Marine Imtech Marine (headquarters in Rotterdam) is a leading company in the global maritime market, operating as a full-service provider and system integrator of tailor-made, innovative and sustainable technology solutions covering the whole ship. Imtech Marine specialises in automation (platform and engine room), navigation, communication and connectivity solutions, propulsion systems, power generation and distribution, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), ship motion control, information technology, entertainment and port services. Imtech Marine provides innovative systems and reliable maintenance services around the world during the full lifetime of the ship. The company employs approximately 2,400 staff at almost 100 offices in 30 countries, based along shipping routes and close to shipbuilding centres. Imtech Marine - press release |
Imtech Marine equips first LNG-Hybrid Barge