The new LNG catamaran Willem de Vlamingh of Rederij Doeksen was officially put into service on Tuesday 26 January 2021.
With this, the ship follows her sistership Willem Barentsz, which entered service on 3 July 2020.
These ships are the first (single fuel) LNG ferries in the Netherlands and the first vessels in the world with single-fuel, direct-drive LNG engines propelling fixed rudder propellers.
The ships will be deployed on the ferry connection to the Dutch isles Vlieland and Terschelling.
Dirk Spoor, CEO of Rederij Doeksen: “Due to a variety of circumstances, the COVID-19 crisis not least among them, the road to this fantastic moment has been long and bumpy. But the result of everyone’s efforts is impressive, and something of which we can be extremely proud.”
The introduction of this new LNG-ferry concept, combined with heat recovery (ORCAN ePAcks), more efficient hull lines, light weight construction and solar panel means a significant reduction in harmful emissions: -10% CO2, -90% nitrogen oxides (NOx), -100% sulphur oxides (SOx), -95% particulate matter.
Doeksen’s ambition is to progressively blend standard LNG with bio-LNG or LBG as soon as this type of fuel becomes sufficiently available, reducing CO2 emissions even further.
These LNG-ships differ from their predecessors in many ways. For the design, Rederij Doeksen continuously focused on the guest experience and the vulnerable Wadden Sea ecosystem, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Willem Barentsz and Willem de Vlamingh are efficient, lightweight, LNG catamarans with low emissions and an interior with facilities that contribute to the island experience of the guests on board.
