First container ships to feature liquid gas propulsion
MAN Diesel & Turbo is supplying the engines for the first container ships to be powered mainly by liquid natural gas (LNG): The US shipping firm TOTE Inc., based in Tacoma (Washington), has signed a contract with the NASSCO shipyard in San Diego for the construction of two new container ships. Both vessels will in future be powered by an 8L70ME-GI dual-fuel two-stroke engine which can be operated both with liquid and with gaseous fuels. For MAN Diesel & Turbo, this is the first order for the new ME-GI engine model.
The two 3,100 TEU container ships will be the most environmentally friendly in the world since they are the world’s first to be mainly powered by liquid natural gas. The ships will travel between Florida and Puerto Rico, and therefore primarily in Emission-Controlled Areas defined by the International Maritime Organization in which emissions regulations are set to be tightened considerably over the next few years.
The advantage of dual-fuel engines are on the one hand their environmental friendliness when used in gas mode: CO2 and nitric oxide emissions are markedly reduced, while sulfur oxides, soot and particle emissions are virtually non-existent. On the other hand, the MAN dual-fuel engine gives ship owners and operators tremendous flexibility and cost-efficiency, since the fuel can be changed based on its availability and price.
The Construction of the first container ship is set to begin in 2014, with delivery scheduled for the end of 2015. The second ship is to be delivered in 2016. The contract between TOTE and NASSCO also contains an option for three further container ships.
Source: MAN
