Giant tank
Delivery for new Arran ferry
A major logistical engineering operation took place on the Clyde last Friday when an 88-tonne liquefied natural gas (LNG) tank was delivered to Ferguson shipyard, which will help power the new Arran ferry.
The 147m3 tank is the first to be delivered for two dual fuel ferries being built for Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) and will be fitted into the recently named Glen Sannox which should be in service on the Brodick to Ardrossan route next year. The 102-metre vessels will be capable of operating on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and marine gas oil (MGO), helping to reduce emissions. The unloading operation at the Port Glasgow yard involved 20 specialised personnel and equipment to raise the tank off a barge at the quayside using a specialised 750-tonne heavy lift crane.
The tank, supplied by Wartsila, left Shanghai, China, eight weeks ago, travelling by sea through the Suez Canal to Antwerp before reaching Scotland’s shores this week.
The pressurised tank, made from double-skinned stainless steel and perlite insulation, is the single largest component required for the construction of the vessels.
Andy Crossan, projects director at CMAL, said: ‘This was a highly challenging engineering process to secure the safe delivery of the first LNG tank into the yard. Our team, working with our partners and suppliers, has been involved in planning the transport and delivery logistics of this for the past two months and it’s fantastic to finally see its arrival.
‘The tank is hugely impressive and its arrival reminds us of the scale of the project we are delivering. The design and build of these dual fuel vessels is a highly complex technical project, the first of its kind in Scotland – and indeed the UK. It is a sign of our commitment to exploring new technologies for ferries, as well as a wider commitment to innovation in Scotland and consideration for the environmental impact of transport.’
CMAL, which owns the ferries, ports and harbours across the West Coast of Scotland, has designed the vessels to provide a fully flexible, year-round service for the Ardrossan to Arran and the Skye Triangle routes. The first ferry, recently named as MV Glen Sannox, is expected to enter service in the second half of 2018.