Fuel supply system provider Auramarine is to deliver two shipsets of diesel fuel oil and liquid biofuel supply systems to Finnish shipping company Meriaura.
The Auramarine fuel supply systems will be used onboard two Meriaura cargo ships (hull numbers BN832 and BN833), which will be built by Dutch shipyard Royal Bodewes, and support Meriaura in enhancing operational reliability, performance, maintenance and safety. The systems will be manufactured at Auramarine’s Shanghai factory with deliveries to the shipyard in May 2025 and March 2026. The fuel supply systems will supply fuel oil to the engine and help ensure the fuel meets the set temperature and viscosity requirements.
The Ecotrader ships are 105m long, 1A ice classed 6750 DWT and designed to achieve the lowest possible emission levels. This makes them about 30% larger than the earlier EcoCoaster vessels (Eeva VG and Mirva VG), improves the economic efficiency and lightens the environmental burden of transport. Like the EcoCoaster vessels delivered in 2016, the Ecotraders can be operated with biofuel made from recycled raw material produced by Meriaura’s subsidiary VG-Ecofuel, giving ship operators greater flexibility on their fuel choice.
Auramarine’s fuel supply systems are designed for different types of biofuels in mind. This enables owners and operators to manage the health of the vessel when handling fuel temperature and viscosity, considered essential to avoid damage, unplanned downtime and associated safety issues.
John Bergman, CEO Auramarine, said: “We’re proud of our long-standing partnership with industry leaders like Meriaura. Through close collaboration with shipowners as well as shipyards, we’re able to develop tailored and reliable solutions that ensure effective fuel management and ongoing safety. As shipping navigates a multifuel future, quality is key. This means that fit for purpose systems are key to giving shipowners the confidence to make long-term investments in the operational integrity of their vessels.”
Beppe Rosin, CEO Meriaura added: “Meriaura has set an ambitious goal to reach carbon neutrality within the 2030s. Instead of adopting a ‘wait-and-see’ approach to potential future alternative fuel solutions, we have proactively developed our own biofuel and invested in technology that enables its use on our vessels. As a pioneer in large-scale utilisation of biofuels on ships, we are very pleased to collaborate closely with a well-reputed and local technology provider like Auramarine.”
Image: Concept illustration of the new Meriaura vessels (source: Auramarine/Blue Comms)
