LPG dual-fuel engine technology continues to gain traction in the LPG carrier market
Three 93,000-m3 liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers that have been ordered by Petredec Holdings (Eastern) PTE Ltd from China’s Jiangnan Shipyard will each be equipped with MAN B&W LPG dual-fuel engines. The newbuild contract contains options for three additional vessels.
Each vessel will be powered by individual MAN B&W 6G60ME-LGIP dual-fuel engines, capable of running on LPG.
Commenting on the incorporation of LPG dual-fuel technology, Petredec fleet director Philip Harwood said, “We are convinced that using LPG as a bunker fuel in the MAN Energy Solutions ME-LGIP engine is the best contributor to achieving the targeted 40% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030.”
Compared to 2020-compliant fuels, using LPG as a fuel reduces SOx by 99%, CO2 by 15%, NOx by 10%, and particulate matter by 90%.
Added Petredec Group chief executive Giles Fearn, “We are proud to have ordered the next generation of VLGCs, which marks an important step for both us and the industry towards decarbonisation by emitting 30% less CO2 than the previous generation 84,000-m3 ships burning LSFO.”
The new order follows on the heels of the announcement in October 2020 by MAN PrimeServ, MAN Energy Solutions’ after-sales division, that it had successfully converted the main engine aboard LPG carrier BW Gemini to a dual-fuel engine. MAN PrimeServ converted an MAN B&W 6G60ME-C9.2 type to an MAN B&W 6G60ME-LGIP unit. BW Gemini is the first of 12 LPG carriers being converted by Oslo-listed BW LPG to LPG dual-fuel propulsion.
MAN Energy Solutions senior vice president and head of two-stroke business Bjarne Foldager said “We are moving towards a zero-carbon future and there is a strong global push towards sustainability. As we pass the 2020 sulphur cap and approach IMO’s 2030 and 2050 targets, companies committed to sustainability are becoming increasingly attractive.” Added Mr Foldager, “This project displays Petredec’s commitment to decarbonisation and showcases MAN Energy Solutions’ dual-fuel engine portfolio that is future-proofed to handle whatever alternative fuels come to prominence in the decades ahead.”
The initial, firm three vessels are scheduled for delivery in January, March, and May 2023, and the optional vessels within Q2 and Q3 2023.
With an existing fleet of 21 VLGC’s, Petredec is already the second-largest owner of VLGCs in the world and with an average age of 3.5 years, the lowest in its market segment.
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