Japan’s Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co, a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, has been granted an approval in principle (AiP) by Bureau Veritas (BV) for an LNG fuel gas supply system (FGSS) for four-stroke, dual-fuel engines
Developed for coastal ferries and small- and mid-sized cargo vessels, the FGSS comprises an LNG fuel tank, gas supply unit, control systems and other relevant equipment.
Speaking via video message, BV senior vice president North Asia Claude Maillot said “through decades of LNG carrier construction and technical development” Mitsubishi was able “to develop this innovative new system.”
The FGSS uses small-size ‘vacuum-insulated’ type containment tanks with a double shell structure that ensures high heat insulation and also allows the external cylinder of the tank to remain at normal temperatures. This simplifies the support structure requirements for the tank and reduces installation work. Furthermore, the tank connection space is also designed to reduce space and maintenance requirements.
Mr Maillot concluded, “Innovations like these are helping drive the industry towards better environmental and operational performance – while reducing risk.”
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding delivered its FGSS in 2019 to be installed on Japan’s first LNG-fuelled car carrier, currently being built at Shin Kurushima Toyohashi Shipbuilding Co, Ltd, and has one more order for the ship currently under construction. Those large tanks with insulation coatings are designed to be the best fit for the installation in large vessels.
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding plans to expand its product portfolio to meet the increasing demand for LNG fuel and will continue not only providing FGSS as a manufacturer, but also offering engineering services for gas handling-related equipment to support the design and construction of LNG-fuelled ships.
New LNG-fuelled ferries
In December 2019, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding inked a deal to build two-LNG-fuelled ferries for Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL). To be built at the Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works, with delivery in Q4 2022 to Q1 2023, the vessels will be operated by Ferry Sunflower Limited based in Oita on its Osaka-Beppu route.
The ferries, Sunflower Kurenai and Sunflower Murasaki, will be about 200 m long and 28 m wide, with gross tonnage of approximately 17,300 tonnes. They will have maximum prescribed capacity for 763 passengers and carrying capacity for around 136 trucks and 100 passenger cars.
Japanese engine manufacturer Yanmar said it has received an order from MOL for dual fuel 8EY26LDF engines that will be used to power generators on the ferries. The eight-cylinder dual fuel engines are rated at 1,730 KW, with a cylinder bore of 260 mm and stroke of 385 mm. Generator capacity will be 1,600 kW. The high-performance, dual-fuel engines are capable of operating on either LNG or A‐type heavy oil.
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