LNG

Owners of large and small LNG carrier fleets are maintaining robust order books with the latest ship to be delivered being for shipowner Minerva Gas along with four other vessels for various owners that emerged from the shipyards in June.

Greek shipping line Minerva has just taken delivery of the 173,400 cubic metres capacity carrier, the “Minerva Limnos”, from South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering.

The vessel left DSME's Geoje shipyard on June 30. The “Minerva Limnos” features M-type electronically controlled, Gas injection (ME-GI) propulsion, a No. 96 GW LNG containment system from GTT and a PRS-FRS re-liquefaction system.

The vessel is flying the Malta flag and is classed by European classification society DNV.

“We wish to convey to the Master, Chief Engineer and all Officers and ratings of ‘Minerva Limnos’ our warmest congratulations and wholehearted wishes for safe, smooth and prosperous voyages and calm seas,” said a statement from Athens-based Minerva.

Off Japan

The new Minerva carrier was shown in latest shipping data as being just off the coast of Japan and was expected to head for the Panama Canal before lifting its maiden cargo in the Atlantic Basin.

The vessel delivery brings Minerva's LNG fleet numbers to three carriers, following deliveries of two vessels in January and February 2021.

The shipowner has ordered two further carriers, both of 174,000 cubic metres capacity, the “Minerva Chios” to be delivered in the weeks ahead and its sister ship, the “Minerva Amorgos” to be handed over by August 2022.

The four other LNG carriers delivered from shipyards in June were for Danish owner Celsius Shipping and Greek owners Alpha Gas, Gaslog and Capital Gas.

The expectations of growing shipping demand in the LNG market is supported by the lengthening of shipping routes on the
ramp-up of export capacity from the United States and Russia.

The bulk of additional sanctioned liquefaction capacity entering the market will be in the 2021-2024 period.

At the end of 2020 as many as 150 LNG vessels were on order, which represents a quarter of the active carrier fleet, excluding floating storage and regasification units.

Of these, nearly 60 ships are scheduled for delivery in 2021, adding close to 10 million cubic metres of capacity, an 11 percent year-on-year increase.

The market entry of the remaining 15 million cubic metres of capacity on order is spread across the period between 2022 and 2025.

German marine engine maker MAN Energy Solutions, a supplier of propulsion for many of the world’s LNG-powered vessels as well as the most modern LNG carriers,
has signed a cooperation agreement with two South Korean companies.

MAN Energy said its accord with shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) and the South Korean engine-maker HSD Engine, formerly the Doosan Engine Company, have signed a strategic agreement to cooperate in the computerized aspects of marine engine systems.

MAN Energy, whose main shipping solutions base is in Denmark, has a market-leading two-stroke, dual-fuel portfolio.

It recently confirmed landmark sales of more than 250 dual-fuel engines, all running on liquefied natural gas or other clean fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas or methanol.

Man Energy is best known in the LNG sector for its speciality power package in the electronically-controlled, gas-injection (MEGI) engine for LNG carriers and other vessels.

The signing of the Man Energy, DSME and HSD Engine digitization agreement took place in Copenhagen.

The three companies aim to cooperate in areas such as the programming of marine engine solution and auxiliary systems data, the collection and analysis of the data and the integration of it with smart-ship platforms and intelligent diagnostic solutions.

“MAN Energy is determined to drive the digital transition of the marine industry”, said Brian Ostergaard Sørensen, Head of Research and Development in the two-stroke business at MAN.

“We strongly believe that this transition can best be achieved through cooperation and collaboration including customers and providers across the industry,” added Sørensen.

“The agreement at hand is a step in this direction and brings together market leading expertise in the fields of shipbuilding and engine design, manufacturing and operation to explore options for a joint digital development in an important segment of the maritime market,” he stated.

MAN, based in Augsburg, Germany, is a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group and its Man Energy Solutions unit was formerly known as MAN Diesel & Turbo and was rebranded a year ago.

“DSME is conducting R&D activities to combine digital technology to various fields in shipbuilding including collaboration with marine engine makers,” said DSME’s R&D division.

The Korean shipbuilder also emphasized the need for continuous innovation to enhance DSME’s technological leadership in shipping.

HSD said that through this strategic cooperation agreement, the Korean company would share its own service experiences with DSME and MAN Energy Solutions.

“Furthermore, we will also continue our role as a pioneer engine manufacturer in the field of smart ships in order to serve our customers a real-time monitoring service with remote support through the advanced engine diagnosis technology,” added HSD.