Tianjin Southwest to retrofit another two VLGCs to run on LPG
Chinese liquified gas carrier operator Tianjin Southwest Maritime has put in an order with engine maker MAN Energy Solutions subsidiary MAN PrimeServ to retrofit two of its LPG carriers with dual-fuel engines that be powered by LPG or conventional heavy fuel oil or gasoil.
PHOTO: LPG carrier Gas Gemini that will be retrofitted by MAN ES. MAN Energy Solutions
The two vessels - Gas Gemini and Gas Aquarius – are very large gas carriers (VLGCs) and will undergo the conversion process at COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry shipyard in China’s Guangdong, with the work commencing from May 2023.
Chinese engine manufacturer CSSC Marine Power Group’s subsidiary CMS will also be a part of the project.
The company claims LPG can reduce emissions of sulphur oxide by 99%, carbon dioxide 15%, nitrogen oxide by 10%, and particulate matter by 90% compared to VLSFO.
These two vessels will eventually join a relatively small global fleet of LPG-fuelled vessels. Data from ship classification society DNV shows there are only 117 LPG-fuelled vessels in operation or on order today.
LPG has been gaining some attention from the shipping industry as an alternative fuel choice lately. Last month, an International Maritime Organisation (IMO) sub-committee approved interim guidelines for safe use of LPG as a marine fuel.
Prior to this deal, MAN PrimeServ had aided Singapore based LPG operator BW LPG to retrofit its vessel BW Malacca to run LPG in June this year.
MAN PrimeServ’s head of projects and pump vaporiser unit sales, Klaus Rasmussen, believes that LPG as fuel makes a “very positive business case” for VLGCs as it enables them to “operate off their own cargo.” This cuts time and bunker costs, MAN PrimeServ argues.
Rasmussen says Tianjin Southwest has now ordered six vessels fitted with dual-fuel engines that can run on LPG. He says MAN PrimeServ has scoped out another 154 VLGCs in the global fleet that run on conventional fuels that “could benefit from conversion to LPG-running.”
By Tuhin Roy
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