MAN B&W G type engines to power Teekay Tanker newbuilds

MAY 9, 2013 — The 113,000 dwt Long Range 2 (LR2) product tankers ordered by Teekay Tankers at STX Offshore & Shipbuilding last month (see earlier story) will each be powered by a MAN B&W G60ME-C engine.

MAN B&W G60ME-C engine

The four confirmed vessels covered by the contract, which includes options for up to 12 additional vessels, will be constructed at Jinhae shipyard in Changwon, South Korea, with delivery scheduled from the second half of 2015.

“In recent times, the market has sought to optimize propulsion efficiency through using larger propellers and lower-speed engines,” says Ole Grøne, Senior Vice President Low Speed Sales and Promotions, MAN Diesel & Turbo. “Fuel optimization has also become a priority. We find that large merchant vessels are compatible with larger-diameter propellers following an adaptation of the aft hull design, paving the way for higher efficiencies. The ultra-long-stroke G-type engine ably satisfies this trend.”

MAN Diesel & Turbo reports having close to 200 G-type engines on order, spread over a broad spectrum of applications, and says the engines have had the fastest market acceptance that any engine series in the MAN B&W portfolio has ever received.

With bunker prices having increased by over 500 percent since 1999, a rise that is set to continue, as well as the impending arrival of even stricter environmental legislation, the adoption of the G-type as prime mover for its tankers is a deliberate move by Teekay Tankers.

“With their fuel-efficient design, which is estimated to result in 20 to 30 percent fuel savings compared to current vessels in the existing LR2 fleet, we believe these newbuildings will be very attractive to our customers,” comment Bruce Chan, Teekay Tankers’ Chief Executive Officer.

The G-type program

MAN Diesel & Turbo’s G-type program came on the market in October 2010 with the entry of the G80ME-C9 model. The company subsequently expanded the ultra-long-stroke program in May 2011 with the addition of G70ME-C9, G60ME-C9, G50ME-B9, G45ME-B9 and G40ME-B9 models. The G-types have designs that follow the principles of the large-bore, Mark 9 engine series that MAN Diesel & Turbo introduced in 2006. Their longer stroke reduces engine speed, thereby paving the way for ship designs with unprecedented high-efficiency.

G-type efficiency

The G80’s longer stroke results in a lower rpm for the engine driving the propeller: a reduction from 78 rpm for the S80 engine to 68 rpm for the G80. This lower optimum engine speed allows the use of a larger propeller and is, ultimately, significantly more efficient in terms of engine propulsion. Together with an optimized engine design, this reduces fuel consumption and reduces CO2 emissions.