First LPG-powered Dual-fuel VLGCs Ordered
Shipbuilder Hanjin Heavy Industries announced it will construct two 80,000 m3 very large gas carriers (VLGC) at its Philippines facilities for Belgian integrated gas shipping company EXMAR. Upon construction, the carriers will be chartered by Statoil.
The newbuildings will each be powered by an individual MAN B&W 6G60ME-LGIP Mk9.5 engine. MAN Diesel & Turbo reports liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) was chosen as a fuel option so the vessels will comply with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) sulphur-emission legislation due to enter force in 2020. Engine delivery to the yard has been scheduled for December 2019.
“Interest in using LPG as a fuel, outside of the LPG carrier segment, is growing due to its sulphur-free character, free availability and ease of bunkering,” said Bjarne Foldager – Vice President Sales & Promotion, Two-Stroke Business at MAN Diesel & Turbo.
“In gas mode, we expect the ME-LGIP engine to operate on just 3 percent pilot oil and down to 10 percent load,” Foldager said. “Ultimately, we expect the engine to operate without the need for pilot oil.”
MAN Diesel & Turbo reports that the ME-LGIP engine has experienced a circa 10 percent reduction in CO2 and circa 90 percent reduction in particulate matter when running on LPG, compared with MDO.
With this commitment, LPG joins the list of liquid, environmentally-friendly fuels that can power MAN Diesel & Turbo’s portfolio of two-stroke, dual-fuel engines, which are available from all licensees. MAN Diesel & Turbo further reports that it expects ME-LGIP installation aboard merchant vessels to be extremely competitive price-wise, compared to other, dual-fuel-burning engine types.
MAN Diesel & Turbo said it received calls from many LPG carrier operators asking to develop an LPG-fueled engine that could power LPG carriers using a fraction of the cargo already onboard.
LPG is an eminently environmentally-friendly fuel, in much the same class as liquefied natural gas (LNG), and an LPG-fueled engine will significantly reduce emissions, enabling vessels to meet the stringent IMO SOx emission regulations due to come into force globally from 2020, the engine manufacturer said.
According to MAN, LPG’s future as a viable fuel for general marine transportation looks promising as it will not require as large an investment in infrastructure such as bunkering facilities.
Accordingly, MAN Diesel & Turbo said expects a strong demand for LGIP engines for VLGCs and coastal vessels.
