China’s first LNG (liquefied natural gas) fuel-powered passenger shipJinlong Fang is now sailing out of Zixing City on East River and Dongjiang Lake in Hunan Province. It has been heralded as a prelude to passengers vessels on China’s myriad inland waterways embracing this cleaner fuel.

　　Jinlong Fang is 24.8 meters long, 7 meters wide and designed for cruising at 20 kilometers per hour. It is approved for 90 passengers and for travel on the East (Dongjiang) River which flows through one of China’s top rated (5A) tourist sightseeing areas.

　　The vessel will now undergo testing and ‘debugging’. It’s operational data will used to inform and promote liquefied natural gas as a clean energy fuel for inland waterways.

　　The State Maritime Safety Administration agreed to the East River pilot as a project to promote clean energy in 2015. Known as “Hunan Dongjiang Lake ship application LNG overall implementation plan”, the project is being overseen by the Ministry of Transport and forms part of Zixing’s 13th Five Year Plan. Zixing will immediately commence construction of an LNG refueling station and other supporting facilities on Dongjiang Lake. Over the next two years, it is planned to build 24 90-seat passenger vessels and six 120-seat vessels, all with natural gas engines.

　　Dongjiang Lake is a major source of drinking water and is has been designated for high-level protection. Accordingly, Zixing embraced the opportunity provided by LNG to significantly reduce water-transport related emissions.

　　中國首艘LNG(液化天然氣)燃料動力客船“金龍舫”正式在湖南省資興的東江湖首航。

　　這將預示著新能源客船將在日后中國內河航運上開始發展。

　　“金龍舫”長24.9米，寬7米，設計巡航速度20公里每小時。核定載客90人，主要用于在東江湖這個橫貫中國頂級5A景區的湖泊進行游覽觀光使用。目前船舶正在進行調試和排查故障。此測試數據將會用于為LNG作為情節燃料在內河航運提供重要依據。國家海事局已經在2015年已經同意湘江上可以發展清潔能源船舶。作為湖南東江湖泊船舶LNG整體發展規劃，此項目已經作為交通部資興13年發展計劃的一部分。

　　資興已經在東江湖附近著手開始建設LNG加氣站以及其他支援設備，在隨后的兩年內，此項目計劃建設24艘90座的客船以及6艘120座的客船，都將使用天然氣發動機。

　　東江湖是一座提供淡水資源的重要湖泊，并且受到高度保護。因此，資興市將通過LNG能源著力優化提高水運相關的環境保護工作。