A coalition between the Shearer Group, Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities and Clean Fuels Clean Rivers received a grant from MARAD to convert a harbor towboat to burn LNG as its fuel source.
Shearer Group informed in a statement that it has received a grant under MARAD’s Maritime Environmental and Technical Assistance program to conduct a marine air quality study centered on the conversion of an inland towboat to dual fuel diesel/LNG to reduce diesel emissions in marine vessels.
The coalition will convert the towboat, monitoring the emissions before and after. The project will require developing the technology to support the LNG conversion and the emissions monitoring, the statement reveals.
The CFCR goal is to research and develop the technology to allow marine operators to use LNG as an alternative to diesel which would allow them to meet new EPA emission requirements and reduce environmental impact to the inland waterways.
TSGI will be providing naval architecture services for the conversion of the vessel.
According to the coalition, the vessel is expected to be the first dual fuel LNG towboat on the inland waterways upon completion of the conversion.
LNG World News Staff; Image: The Shearer Group