Latvian Port of Riga has begun servicing LNG-powered container vessels as it recently welcomed Containerships Polar, a newbuild was delivered to Containerships earlier this year.
It is planned that the first two 100% LNG-fueled vessels, Containerships Polar and Containerships Nord, owned by the subsidiary of CMA CGM, will arrive at the Port of Riga three times per week.
In addition, a third LNG vessel is expected to join them in the autumn.
The Port of Riga said it has thus made a large step towards its goal of becoming a green port and reducing the environmental impact of its operations. As the new LNG vessels are one of the largest containerships that make regular stops at the Port of Riga, it is expected that the volume of container cargo will also increase.
Use of LNG for shipping purposes has become increasingly popular in the world since it contributes to the reduction of global carbon emissions and alleviates air pollution. Burning of natural gas does not result in the emission of any harmful particles like smoke or soot, which is the worst type of air pollution. It also does not result in harmful sulphur oxide emissions, as unlike other fuels, natural gas contains only negligible amounts of sulphur oxide, which is the main component of smog
