World’s largest turbocharger at heart of Maersk’s methanol-powered ULCS

Launched at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in early October, the ULCS is powered by MAN Energy Solution’s two-stroke, methanol dual-fuel 8G95ME-C10.5-LGIM engine fitted with MHI-MME’s MET90MB turbocharger and an MET60MBII turbocharger.

The adoption of the large MET90MB has made it possible to reduce the number of installed turbochargers from three to two, achieving both high efficiency and reduced maintenance costs.

With a length overall of 350 m and beam of 53 m, Hull No 3322 is the first in a series of 12 ULCSs with a capacity of 16,200 TEU being built by AP Moller-Maersk and powered by a MAN ES methanol dual-fuel main engine.

Sequential turbocharging concentrates the exhaust gas to one of the turbochargers at lower engine speeds when the amount of exhaust gas is small. When there is a large amount of exhaust gas, the gas is directed to both turbochargers or just the larger unit for efficient turbocharging at a broader range of engine speeds.

The MET90MB covers an engine output range of 22,900 to 37,900 kW per unit.

With orders for vessels equipped with methanol dual-fuel engines on the rise, and demand for MET turbochargers has also increased, reported MHI-MME.