BP Shipping has taken delivery in early July of the British Emerald LNG carrier, which the company called the “world’s largest” with a capacity of 155,000cum. The vessel has an overall length of 288m and a width of 44.2m. British Emerald is powered by four diesel-electric engines and is equipped with a bow thruster to assist in mooring operations. It’s the first in a series of four diesel-electric gas ships. Built by Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea, the vessel was designed for reduced fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions compared with conventional LNG carriers. The dual-fuel technology allows the diesel engines to run on “boil-off” gases from the cargo tanks or on conventional diesel fuel. The 23-man crew will put the vessel though an extensive commissioning program that is scheduled to take 10 days. This vessel is the first of a fleet of four Gem class LNG carriers. The British Diamond, British Ruby, and British Sapphire are scheduled to be delivered in 2008.
