Dual-fuel marine diesel engines are increasingly being fitted to new-buildings where twin benefits of negligible noxious gas emissions (thanks to squeaky-clean combustion) and  economical performance come to bear when the engine operates in LNG mode. Indeed analysts are agreed that it is only the sparse availability of LNG bunkering facilities world-wide that limits installation of far greater numbers of dual-fuel systems at a time when prices for oil fuels are uncertain, and when environmental regulations are becoming increasingly stringent. For vessels with ready access to LNG as a fuel source, there has been a natural progression in the fitting of dual-fuel engines, beginning with large LNG carriers themselves using boil-off cargo gas when loaded.  Now that progression has extended to include far smaller ships (with a no less an important role in drilling operations) which also have ready access to the fuel  – LNG Platform Supply Vessels (PSV's). PSV's in the... [More]