Greek Shipowners Order MAN Dual-Fuel Engines for LNG Carrier Newbuilds

A 51/60DF engine pictured on the testbed at MAN Diesel & Turbo’s Augsburg works, image: MAN Diesel & Turbo

Athens-based ship owners, Alpha Tankers and Freighters International, have chosen MAN Diesel and Turbo dual-fuel engines for two 160,000 m³ LNG carriers currently under construction at STX Offshore and Shipbuilding.

The configuration for the new order covers 2 Ã— 9L51/60DF + 2 Ã— 8L51/60DF engines, a total of 34 MW installed power per vessel and are the first such order for MAN in this LNG carrier sector. All of the engines are IMO Tier II-compliant in diesel mode and will have lower exhaust-gas emissions in gas mode than IMO Tier III stipulates – fuel-sharing mode will be applied to each unit.

Both newbuildings will be DFDE (dual-fuel diesel electrical)-driven and an option for further vessels and engines exists.

Due for construction at STX Offshore & Shipping Co. Ltd. in South Korea, MAN Diesel & Turbo reports that engine delivery for both vessels is due in the fourth quarter of 2013 with vessel delivery to follow in 2014 and 2015. The engines will be built at MAN Diesel & Turbo’s Augsburg plant in Germany.

Fuel-sharing mode

The order is the first LNGC newbuild globally to be outfitted with fuel-sharing capability. This is a successful concept that was originally developed for MAN Diesel & Turbo’s MAN B&W ME-GI type, a gas-injection two-stroke dual-fuel diesel engine. To optimize the carriers’ fuel flexibility in fuel-sharing mode, the dual-fuel engines can burn both gaseous and liquid fuels simultaneously. This will prove especially beneficial during ballast voyages where the volume of generated, natural boil-off gas is significantly lower than on a laden voyage.