MHI-MME retrofits 80 LNG carriers for ultra low sulfur fuel

FEBRUARY 20, 2017 — Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Marine Machinery & Engine Co., Ltd. (MHI-MME) has completed retrofit work to enable 80 LNG carriers to run on Low Sulfur Fuel.

IMO’s global sulfur cap for marine fuel, set to enter force in 2020 , will see the maximum sulfur content in marine fuel reduced from 3.5% to 0.5%.

Oil companies are developing their own brands fuels s Ultra Low Sulfur Heavy Fuel Oil (ULSHFO) which contain 0.5% of sulfur or below.

MHI-MME says the oil properties of ULSHFO are very variable, depending on the brand or supplier, with no international standard, and this can lead to unstable combustion by the burner.

MHI-MME’s burner and control system technologies developed for Low Sulfur Marine Gas Oil (LSMGO) for main boilers enables the burning of fuels with a wide range of viscosity.

MHI-MME says it has already applied these technologies for auxiliary boilers for all newbuilding vessels.