Shell LNG dual-fuel VLCCs will have ME-GI engines

The ten 300,000 dwt VLCCs being ordered by three shipowners for long term charter to Shell will have MAN B&W 7G80ME-GI Mk9.5 dual-fuel engines. The ships are being built at Daewoo Shipuilding & Marine Engineering in Korea and the engines will be built by HSD Engine.

As we reported earlier, four of the very large crude carriers (VLCCs) have been chartered by Shell from Switzerland based Advantage Tankers, three from Singapore based AET and three from New York City headquartered International Seaways Inc.

“This is a significant order on several fronts owing to its size and the ME-GI’s début in yet another segment,” said Bjarne Foldager, Senior Vice President and Head of Two-Stroke Business at MAN Energy Solutions. The engine’s characteristics make it eminently suitable for LNG and non-LNG carriers alike due to its service experience, low methane slip, high efficiency, and fuel flexibility – whether running on fuel-oil, or LNG where it accepts any gas quality available in the market.”

““These crude carriers will be powered by mature engine technology that continues to make inroads into new markets and segments,” continued Foldager.
As we move towards a zero-carbon future, the ME-GI showcases MAN Energy Solutions’ dual-fuel engine portfolio that is future-proofed to handle whatever alternative fuels come to prominence in the decades ahead.”

The new order follows a slew of recent orders announced globally for the engine. Back in January, MAN Energy Solutions reported that its total low-speed engine, dual-fuel references then exceeded 360 units, with the ME-GI recording over 1.5 million operating hours on LNG alone.

MAN Energy Solutions says the ME-GI (-Gas Injection) engine has set a new industrial standard for two-stroke propulsion engines in – among others – container vessels, bulk carriers, tankers, LNG carriers and car carriers.

With the ME-GI engine, says the company, 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% stable and reliable operation during load changes on gas with just normal additions of pilot-oil amounts. Additionally, the ME-GI operational principles features a seamless change-over between gas operation and diesel operation.

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 more sustainable fuels such as methanol and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).