Wessels Reederei eyes additional LNG conversions

German shipping company, Wessels Reederei, signed a letter of intent with MAN Diesel & Turbo to convert three vessels in its fleet to dual-fuel gas operation.

The three vessels are sister ships of the Wes Amelia, a 1,036-TEU feeder container ship that was recently converted to operate on liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Speaking of the letter of intent, Stefan Eefting, senior vice president, MAN Diesel & Turbo and head of MAN PrimeServ Diesel, said the Wes Amelie, as the first such conversion in the world, was “a pioneering moment in the European container-feeder market.”

Following the conversion, the vessel meets the Tier II and Tier III emission requirements set by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

In addition, he noted that Wessels Reederei’s the conversion of Wes Amelie facilitated follow-up projects at reduced costs.

Wessels Reederei fleet includes 16 vessels that are structurally identical to the Wes Amelie, allowing for the follow-up projects to be implemented.