• 17 Nov 2017

Florida East Coast (FEC) Railway completed the conversion of its entire mainline thru-haul fleet to run on liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The 24 locomotives utilize an LNG “kit” that allows for dual fuel capabilities. FEC’s LNG-Diesel engine technology burns 80% less diesel fuel, resulting in an 80% reduction in Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) emissions. Natural gas also gives off roughly half the carbon dioxide emissions as coal when burned for electricity, and little to no emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides or particulate matter.

With the completion of the fleet conversion, FEC held a demonstration of its facilities, presenting two LNG-fueled locomotives with tender car between, fueling station, ISO container, LNG tanker delivery trailer as well as an LNG-fueled truck in occasion of the annual Natural Gas for High Horse Power (HHP) Summit, held in Jacksonville Nov 6-9, with participants coming from a wide range of industries, including marine, rail, mining, E&P, power gen operations, and traveling from as far as Colombia, Japan, Korea and Canada.

According to the company’s CEO Fran Chinnici, FEC is the first North American Railroad to operate its entire mainline fleet on LNG.

Working under the authority provided by Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the railway is currently moving  LNG containers between New Fortress Energy’s liquefaction plant in Hialeah and PortMiami and Port Everglades. The company has invested in infrastructure to support multi-modal shipping and global trade into and out of South Florida.

Its regional trucking business, Raven Transport, also utilizes LNG and converted 44% of its fleet to run on the fuel. As of October 2017, FEC completed over 2,300 trips consuming more than 2.7M gallons of LNG.