LNG-Powered Ro-Ro Runs Aground

The Nor Lines ro-ro Kvitbjørn ran aground on Sunday near Ulsteinvik in Norway. 

The vessel made a sudden change of course, attributed to a mechanical failure, and was grounded for around 12 hours before being towed to port. Damage appears to be minor, and no injuries or leaks to the environment have been reported.

The LNG-powered newbuild commenced service in April this year. The vessel was built by Chinese yard Tsuji Heavy Industries Jiangsu, and its journey to Norway to enter into service was the longest voyage ever undertaken to date by a vessel running solely on LNG.

The Kvitbjørn, along with sister vessel Kvitnos, yet to commence operations, runs a regular service between northern Europe and Norway. 

Each of the vessels has a capacity equivalent to at least 200 truck loads. The ships have ro-ro capacity, which allows for loading directly into and out of the ship, as well as a significantly larger crane, which adds flexibility for loading at piers without cranes.