Japanese yard Tsuneishi Shipbuilding has ordered three MAN B&W 7G50ME-C9.6-LGIM (Liquid Gas Injection Methanol) main engines in connection with the building of three 81,200 dwt bulk carriers for Danish shipping company, J Lauritzen.
Each engine will feature MAN Energy Solutions’ proprietary EGRBP (Exhaust Gas Recirculation ByPass) emissions-reduction technology. Licensee Mitsui E&S will build the engines in Japan.
Bjarne Foldager, Head of Two-Stroke Business, MAN Energy Solutions, said: “We are currently experiencing a wave of ME-LGIM orders and it is great to see such a respected company as J Lauritzen joining the decarbonisation journey. While car carriers have been to the fore recently, we ultimately expect methanol to figure prominently as a future fuel across all vessel segments and these newbuildings will be capable of trading carbon-neutrally when powered by green methanol and bio-fuel oils. We value this collaboration with J Lauritzen and appreciate the trust it has placed in us.”
The Kamsarmax vessels will be among the first methanol-capable bulk carriers and will be fully owned by Lauritzen NexGen Shipping, which J Lauritzen and Lauritzen Bulkers reportedly will use as a platform for further investments in zero-carbon emission and future-proof assets for the shipping industry. The vessels have been ordered in co-operation with Cargill, the American global food corporation, who will operate the vessels for a minimum period of seven years.
Thomas S Hansen, Head of Promotion and Customer Support, MAN Energy Solutions, said: “With more than 160 orders and 500,000 running hours accumulated on methanol, the ME-LGIM engine is proven technology and the defacto industry standard for the methanol propulsion of large merchant-marine vessels. As the engines are readily available and methanol dual-fuel types have a lower capital outlay compared to other, alternative fuel-propulsion solutions for ships, we expect to win further orders within the bulk-carrier segment over the coming months and years.”
