Sembcorp Marine is building the world’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG)-hybrid powered tug, the start of a major fleet renewal with green propulsion vessels
It is building a harbour tug for Jurong Marine Services in Singapore with two Rolls-Royce Power Systems-supplied gas engines and a hybrid propulsion system.
Sembcorp Marine plans to build up to 12 tugs with gas engines and hybrid propulsion to replace diesel-powered tugs by 2025.
Rolls-Royce is supplying two 16-cylinder MTU 4000 series M55RN gas engines for the first of these tugs, and most likely the rest of the series.
Sembcorp Marine subsidiary LMG Marin in Norway designed this tug and it is being built to ABS class ready for completion in Q4 2021. It will have a bollard pull of around 65 tonnes, enough to handle container ships, tankers and LNG carriers in Singapore.
This is the first LNG-hybrid tug to be powered by MTU gas engines worldwide. These engines do not emit any sulphur oxides (SOx), minimal nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter, and lower CO2 emissions.
When combined with hybrid propulsion, these tugs will emit even less greenhouse gases.
“Without exhaust gas aftertreatment, they emit no SOx and only very small quantities of NOx and particulate mass is below the verification limit,” said Rolls-Royce Power Systems head of commercial marine business in Asia Chew Xiang Yu.
He applauded Sembcorp Marine’s efforts in environmental protection and adopting new green technologies in their operations. “The MTU marine gas engines are part of Rolls-Royce’s green and high-tech programme,” said Mr Yu.
MTU’s 4000 M55RN gas engines will provide a combined total power of 2,984 kW at 1,600 rpm, comparable to high-speed diesel engines. They are equipped with multipoint fuel injection, dynamic engine control and enhanced turbocharging.
Rolls-Royce said these engines cater for dynamic acceleration capabilities, high power output and reduced emissions, considerably below current IMO Tier III limits, without the need for exhaust aftertreatment.
The LNG-hybrid propulsion system will provide flexibility to cater for various operational modes and is able to switch between low-emissions gas-powered engines and zero-emissions battery power.
Rolls-Royce said similar MTU gas engines are already powering ferries operated by the Dutch shipping company Doeksen in the protected Wadden Sea. They will also be supplied to a Lake Constance ferry operated by Stadtwerke Konstanz, scheduled to start operating in 2021.
LNG bunkering and hybrid propulsion technology will be presented and debated during Riviera’s growing series of virtual conferences and Webinar Weeks in 2021 - use this link to access details and register for these events
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