Hong Kong’s first two locally licensed LNG-diesel dual-fuel tugs commissioned (with photos)

     Marine Department representitives today (July 25) attended the ceremony held by the Hongkong Salvage & Towage Services Limited to celebrate the commissioning of the first two locally licensed LNG (liquefied natural gas) diesel dual-fuel tugs in Hong Kong.
 
     Addressing the celebration ceremony, Deputy Director of Marine Mr Shi Qiang said, "The Government is committed to transforming the city into a green port and promoting the use of more environmentally friendly new fuels with less or zero-carbon emissions to replace marine petroleum fuels commonly used by vessels nowadays. The commissioning of the first two locally licensed tugs equipped with dual-fuel engine systems marks a new milestone that helps encourage more local vessels to use new fuels and move towards the International Maritime Organization's target of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping by or around 2050. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the industry to jointly promote and achieve the goal of green and sustainable development in the shipping industry."
 
     With a view to supporting the development needs and enhancing the long-term competitiveness of the marine industry, the Government promulgated the Action Plan on Maritime and Port Development Strategy in December 2023, outlining four directions and 10 strategies, including propelling the development of a green port towards a zero-carbon target by studying the feasibility of the provision of green fuel bunkering for local vessels and ocean-going vessels, and promulgating an action plan for Hong Kong's development into a green maritime fuel-bunkering centre this year. The plan is expected to be published this year. The Government has also introduced the Shipping Legislation (Use of Fuels and Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2024 into the Legislative Council this month to cater for the safe use of new fuels such as LNG by vessels.
 
     Each of the two newly commissioned tugs, LNG Sentinel I and LNG Sentinel II, has an overall length of 42 metres, a beam of 16m, a gross tonnage of 1 275, two electric motor-driven azimuth thrusters with an aggregate power of 6 000 kilowatts and a maximum speed of 14 knots.