Matson signs contract for ME-GI retrofit
Matson Navigation Inc. and MAN Energy Solutions have signed a contract for the retrofit of the main engine aboard the ‘Daniel K. Inouye’, a container ship in the Matson fleet, according to the company's release. Constructed in 2018, MAN Energy Solutions’ after-sales division, MAN PrimeServ, will retrofit the 3,600 teu vessel’s MAN B&W 7S90ME-C engine to an MAN B&W 7S90ME-GI type capable of operating on LNG and fuel oil. The contract includes an option for a second vessel.
MAN Energy Solutions states that, as the lowest carbon-intensity fuel, operation on LNG is projected to reduce the Daniel K Inouye’s CO2 emissions by 24% with a maximum, guaranteed, ultra-low methane slip of between 0.20-0.28 g/kWh across the load envelope.
As part of the retrofit solution, MAN Energy Solutions will also provide a Pump and Vaporizer Unit (PVU), the prefered high-pressure pump and vaporizer for MAN B&W ME-GI engines, which will be integrated into the Daniel K Inouye’s Fuel Gas Supply System (FGSS).
The PVU pressurises LNG to 300 bar and vaporises the liquefied fuel to gaseous form for supply to the main engine. Furthermore, its control system is based on that of the MAN B&W ME-GI engine and thus offers seamless integration and high performance in gas-mode.
Post-retrofit, the Daniel K. Inouye is expected to continue to operate on trans-Pacific routes between the US West Coast and Asia from mid-2023.
MAN Energy Solutions’ successful ME-GI (-Gas Injection) engine has set a new industrial standard for two-stroke propulsion engines aboard – among others – container vessels, bulk carriers, tankers, LNG carriers and car carriers. The ME-GI engine provides ship-owners and operators with a peerless solution within environmentally friendly and high-efficiency, two-stroke technology, without the greenhouse emissions such as methane slip that are characteristic of other engines.
With the ME-GI engine, two-stroke development has taken a step further by combining the unique properties of multi-fuel combustion and the well-known reliability of MAN Energy Solutions ME-engine. The Diesel principle not only provides the ME-GI engine with high operational stability and efficiency, but also ensures 100% reliable operation during load changes on gas with just normal additions of pilot-oil amounts. The high-pressure Diesel cycle ensures complete combusion of gas, ensuring neglible methane slip. Furthermore, the ME-GI operational principles features a seamless change-over between gas operation and diesel operation. The ME-GI engine is the most environmentally-friendly technology available within the LNG-fuelled, two-stroke engine segment.
MAN Energy Solutions has also developed an ME-LGI (-Liquid Gas Injection) dual-fuel engine that expands the company’s dual-fuel portfolio, enabling the use of other, alternative fuels such as LPG, methanol and ammonia.
Matson, Inc. is an American transportation-services company founded in 1882. Its subsidiary, Matson Navigation Company, provides ocean shipping services across the Pacific to Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, Micronesia, the South Pacific, China, and Japan.
