…As Stolen Alaska Airlines plane crashes near Sea-Tac International Airport***
Mexico-based LNG company ÉNESTAS has joined SEA\LNG, a multi-sector industry coalition aiming at accelerating the adoption of LNG as a marine fuel.
With the addition of ÉNESTAS, the SEA\LNG coalition bolsters its efforts to drive forward LNG as a marine fuel and to progress its role as a viable solution in the energy transition within shipping.
As the largest private LNG company in Mexico and with the largest LNG distribution network, ÉNESTAS is expected to support the coalition’s vision of a competitive global LNG value chain for cleaner maritime shipping by 2020.
Commenting on the latest addition to the coalition, Peter Keller, SEA\LNG chairman and executive vice president, TOTE Inc., said: “SEA\LNG continues to unite organisations from across the LNG value chain to address market barriers to LNG uptake, and to help transform the use of LNG as a marine fuel into a global reality. With several ports under development in North America, including in the Gulf of Mexico, we look forward to leveraging ÉNESTAS’ vast network and capabilities within the region to support the continued growth and investment in LNG bunkering infrastructure.”
Since launching in July 2016, SEA\LNG’s membership has grown rapidly from 13 to 34 members, demonstrating the industry’s attention to LNG as a cost-effective, safe, and environmentally friendly long-term bridging solution to a zero-emissions shipping industry.
“We expect LNG to become the dominant fuel for transportation by road, rail, and sea. LNG is currently the most safe, clean, and economically viable marine fuel on the market and will continue to substitute diesel as the fuel of choice. We’re excited to be part of SEA\LNG and to work with our fellow members to promote knowledge and understanding of the full benefits that LNG has to offer,” Caio Zapata M, chief executive officer, ÉNESTAS, said.
LNG emits zero sulphur oxides (SOx), virtually zero particulate matter (PM), and compared to existing heavy marine fuel oils, LNG can emit 90% less nitrogen oxides (NOx).
With regards to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the maritime sector, reductions of up to 20% are achievable now with LNG. As technology continues to develop, these reductions will increase. Furthermore, LNG, in combination with efficiency measures being developed for new ships in response to the IMO’s Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), will provide a way of meeting the IMO’s decarbonization target of a 40% decrease by 2030 for international shipping.
In the meantime, a stolen airplane belonging to the Alaska Airlines crashed near Seattle’s Sea-Tac International Airport late on Friday.
Sea-Tac International Airport authorities said the plane Horizon Air Q400 was stolen by an airline employee and crashed after an ‘unauthorised’ take-off late on Friday.
The airplane crashed in south Puget Sound, Sea-Tac International said on Twitter, adding that normal operations have resumed at the airport.
Alaska Airlines had earlier tweeted that there was an “unauthorized take-off” of a Horizon Air Q400.
According to the eyewitnesses, F-15 military jets were rushed to intercept the stolen plane soon after its unauthorised take-off from the airport.
Two military F-15s chased the plane but were not involved in the crash, according to the Pierce County (Washington) Sheriff’s department.
The plane crashed into Ketron Island, it said.
The plane “was doing stunts in the air or probably the lack of flying skills caused crash into Island,” the department tweeted.
Horizon Air is part of Alaska Air Group and flies shorter routes throughout the US West.
The Q400 is a 76-seater turboprop aircraft.
World Maritime News with additional report from Zee
