Huge decarbonisation potential through dual-fuel engine retrofits

With shipping under pressure to decarbonise, MAN Energy Solutions noted the modular design of the conventionally fuelled, low-speed ME-C engine portfolio lends itself to extensive retrofit options in regard to alternative green fuels, and that such dual-fuel retrofits already have a proven track record. 

MAN Energy Solutions head of promotion and customer support Thomas S Hansen said, “At MAN Energy Solutions, we design and service many of the global fleet’s low-speed engines, in effect contributing to worldwide CO₂ emissions. As a result, we feel a great responsibility in pursuing decarbonisation and thus we are pleased that many sources predict that more than half of all newbuildings will specify dual-fuel engines after 2025. Since ships have an average lifetime of around 25 years, the retrofit of vessels will be necessary for the industry to decarbonise.”

Indeed, as the demand for engines and ships designated ‘future-fuel ready’  increases, MAN Energy Solutions – through its after-sales division, MAN PrimeServ – has a proven track-record, completing 16 conversions since 2015.

Shipowners that order MAN Energy Solutions’ conventionally fuelled ME-C low-speed engines now can convert to alternative fuels at a later time when the future-fuel landscape is more clear, said the company.

MAN Energy Solutions presently offers multiple options for the retrofit conversion of ME-C engines – including their -GI (LNG), -GIE (ethane), -LGIP (LPG) and -LGIM (methanol) variants – and is steadily working towards being able to offer a retrofit option using ammonia as fuel, preferably meeting vessels’ five-year docking schedules after Q1 2025.

MAN PrimeServ head of projects and PVU sales Klaus Rasmussen said, “A massive number of vessels in the current oceangoing fleet have the potential for conversion, and our broad and continiously expanding portfolio of dual-fuel engines offers extensive options when it comes to retrofitting. The huge market potential within, for example, S/G50-, G95- and G80-bores for conversion to methanol running as ME-LGIM units is especially notable.” 

MAN Energy Solutions’ engine designs currently drive some 22,000 vessels globally, of which 3,500 are fully electronically controlled and with the potential for conversion to operate on alternative, green fuels. It has further evaluated that approximately 2,300 or so of these vessels are appropriate candidates for retrofitting, resulting in saving as much as 86M tonnes CO₂ emissions annually when fuelled by carbon-neutral fuels.

Mr Hansen added, “Today, shipowners trust us when ordering our proven, dual-fuel technology. However, they also trust our conventionally fuelled engines, safe in the knowledge we can convert them to operation on whatever future fuel might be relevant in 5-10 years from now. A recent, prominent example of this is our successful retrofit work for the BW LPG fleet.”