LNG

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, said its two-stroke, dual-fuel portfolio has now logged more than 500,000 operational hours.

German marine engine maker MAN Diesel and Turbo, a supplier of propulsion for many of the world’s first LNG-powered vessels as well as conventional LNG carriers, has been rebranded under the new name MAN Energy Solutions.

German marine engine maker MAN Diesel & Turbo has supplied the propulsion for the world’s first LNG-fueled bulk carrier delivered in South Korea to work on the Asian nation’s coastal trade.

The bulk carrier, the “Ilshin Green Iris”, has been delivered from the Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in Korea to its local owner Ilshin Logistics.

The 50,000 deadweight-ton bulk carrier is powered by a single MAN B&W 6G50 electronically-controlled, gas-injection (MEGI) two-stroke engine.

The ship and its propulsion have been classed by Lloyds Register and the Korean Register and in compliance with the International Gas Fuel (IGF) Code.

The “Ilshin Green Iris” has been chartered by South Korean steelmaker, POSCO, to transport limestone cargoes in the local Korean trade.

“We are very pleased to be part of this exciting project and to see our dual-fuel ME-GI engine win favour in yet another market segment,” said Bjarne Foldager, Vice President of Sales for the two-stroke business at MAN Diesel & Turbo.

“We look forward to following its progress,” he added.

The “Ilshin Green Iris” has a Type ‘C’ LNG fuel tank with a capacity of 500 cubic metres and comprised of a material – high-manganese austenitic steel – newly developed by POSCO that is specially designed for cryogenic LNG and liquefied gas-storage applications.
MAN said its successful MEGI engine has now accounted for more than 200 orders to be installed in LNG carriers, container vessels, and now bulk carriers.

“The ME-GI engine provides ship-owners and operators with a peerless solution within environmentally friendly and high-efficiency, two-stroke technology,” said the company.

“The negligible methane slip of the MEGI engine makes it the most environmentally friendly, two-stroke technology available,” added MAN.

The German engine and turbomachinery maker is also building a new test facility in South Korea in partnership with Hyundai Heavy Industries that will include improving LNG equipment and dual-fuel engines.

The test and gas facility will be located at the Port of Ulsan in South Korea at Hyundai’s Engine & Machinery Division (HHI-EMD) works and is scheduled to begin operation in early 2019.

“It will be the first test engine with online remote control, supporting MAN’s digitization strategy. In this respect, the test engine will also be connected to MAN's research and control centre in Copenhagen, enabling the company’s research engineers to closely follow and enhance the testing of future engine technologies,” said MAN.

MAN, which has operational facilities in Denmark, said the MAN-Hyundai venture will expand research and development test capacity as part of its strategy to improve dual-fuel gas engines using LNG and other traditional fuels.

The company has chosen Hyundai as its partner as it is among the leading global shipbuilders for LNG carriers and also has plans to construct a new wave of gas-powered vessels for container, cargo and energy companies to meet emission-control regulations.