Maran Gas Maritime orders ME-GI engines for new LNG carriers
Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) has signed new contracts with Maran Gas Maritime and Maran Tankers Management for the construction of two ME-GI powered LNG carriers and two VLCCs, both shiptypes with a number of options. Maran Gas Maritime has already four ME-GI powered LNG carriers on order at DSME.
Maran Gas Maritime is the LNG shipping company of Angelicoussis Shipping Group, Greece’s largest shipowner, and Maran Tankers Management is the tanker arm of Angelicoussis.
The Korean shipbuilder announced on June 9 that it won the orders at the international shipping exhibition Posidonia in Greece.
The newbuildings are described as the next generation of eco-friendly vessels meeting IMO Tier III.
The 173,400 cbm LNG carriers – length 295 m and breadth 46 m – will each be fitted with MAN B&W 2 x 5G70ME-C9.5-GI gas and fuel burning engines fulfilling IMO Tier III by EGR in both gas and fuel mode. This engine type is expected to raise fuel efficiency significantly compared to a standard LNG carrier, while at the same time lowering emissions.
The 318,000 dwt VLCCs – length 336 m and breadth 60 m – will each be powered by a single MAN B&W 7G80ME-C9.5 high-efficiency engine fitted with the latest fuel saving technologies and an exhaust gas recirculation system ensuring Tier III compliance.
The LNG carriers are slated for delivery in 2019 and the VLCCs are due in the first half of 2018.
About the ME-GI engine
The ME-GI dual fuel low speed diesel engine represents the culmination of many years of development work. Depending on relative price and availability, as well as environmental considerations, the ME-GI engine gives shipowners and operators the option of using either HFO or gas – predominantly natural gas.
MAN Diesel & Turbo sees significant opportunities arising for gas-fuelled tonnage as concerns about both CO2 and SOx emission increase. Indeed, research indicates that the ME-GI engine delivers significant reductions in CO2, NOx and SOx emissions. Furthermore, the ME-GI engine – in contrast to competing engines – has only a negligible, unburnt gas slip, consequently adding very little to the greenhouse effects of such slips. In addition, the Diesel combustion principle leaves no formaldehyde emissions. All together, this makes the ME-GI engine series the most environmentally-friendly technology available for marine propulsion.
