LNG

MAN Energy Solutions, the Denmark-based subsidiary of the German engine-maker MAN SE, has received a propulsion package order to power the world’s largest car carriers being built in China.

The MAN head office, which is in Augsburg, Germany as part of the Volkswagen Group, 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 Denmark-based unit MAN Energy Solutions said that the Chinese shipyard, Guangzhou Shipbuilding International (GSI), has received an order for four MAN B&W 8S60 ME-GI engines.

The dual-fuel propulsion will be fitted on four 10,800 car equivalent units (CEU) Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTCs) for a leading South Korean shipowner, Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) Co. Ltd.

Engine builders

MAN Energy Solutions said a Chinese company, CSIC Diesel Engine Co. Ltd (CSE), will build the Mk10.5 dual-fuel -GI (-Gas Injection) engines in China, which will feature Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) emissions-reduction technology for Tier III NOx compliance.

Upon delivery, the PCTCs will go out on charter to Hyundai Glovis Co., Ltd., the logistics company headquartered in Seoul, South Korea and part of the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group.

MAN Energy Solutions will also provide the three MAN 8L28/32DF (Dual-Fuel) GenSets aboard each vessel with CSSC Marine Power Zhenjian Ltd. (CMP) set to build these, also in China.

“The car carrier market is currently thriving and demand for new tonnage is at an all-time high,” said Thomas S. Hansen, a senior executive at MAN Energy Solutions.

“Most of these newbuilds are with dual-fuel engines, on account of new emission regulations, with LNG leading the way as most popular alternative fuel. That said, our main engines here will also be delivered as both methanol-ready and ammonia-ready,” Hansen added.

“Accordingly, the ME-GI engine remains the most prominent dual-fuel engine in the market with more than 700 orders,” he stated.

Cleaner shipping

“It is the world’s most efficient, methane-fuelled engine and has extremely low levels of methane slip, which make it the industry’s leading dual-fuel engine across vessel types such as container vessels, bulk carriers, tankers as well as car carriers,” Hansen declared.

Bjarne Foldager, Country Manager, Denmark for MAN Energy Solutions, said he was delighted to secure the order for the South Korean China-builds as this underscored his company’s ability to deliver comprehensive propulsion solutions for PCTC projects.

“This achievement sets the stage for establishing a market standard in next-generation PCTC vessels, integrating our trusted and proven engines,” explained Foldager.

“Winning contracts for both main and auxiliary engines aligns with our strategic goal of providing complete propulsion packages. Congratulations to HMM for their bold commitment to decarbonisation,” Foldager stated.

Accelleron Industries AG, a market leader in high-powered turbochargers used in LNG-fuelled ships, has been successfully spun-off from ASEA Brown Boveri (ABB), the Swiss-Swedish power technology group.

Accelleron’s shares are now trading on the SIX Swiss Exchange in Zurich under the ticker symbol “ACLN”.

The stock was first priced at 24.75 Swiss francs ($25.50) per share.

The listing follows the approval by ABB shareholders for the spin-off of Baden, Switzerland headquartered Accelleron at ABB’s extraordinary general shareholder meeting on September 7.

“As an independent business, Accelleron will now focus on implementing its own, independent growth strategy with an attractive cash generation profile,” said a statement.

“This will build upon Accelleron’s position as a market leader in heavy-duty turbocharging for the marine and energy industries,” it added.

The cruise liner “AIDAnova” was the first in its class to be operated on purely LNG fuel and uses Accelleron’s TPL-C turbochargers.

Legacy

“I am excited about the opportunities ahead, building on our 100-year legacy with ABB and our position as the market leader in high-power turbocharging,” said Oliver Riemenschneider, Chairman of Accelleron's Board.

“We have an impressive growth strategy driven by our leading technology and services offering, coupled with our commitment to research and development,” added Riemenschneider.

“I am confident that we are well positioned to take advantage of global megatrends and deliver compelling results for our stakeholders,” he stated.

The statement added that “sustainability” was at the center of Accelleron’s business as the company is a pioneer in reducing fuel consumption and improving the emissions profiles for customers.

“Accelleron is well placed to capitalize on the opportunities presented by renewable energy and sustainable transportation, with its best-in-class product portfolio, its leading R&D capabilities and its acknowledged innovation,” added company.

MAN Energy Solutions of Germany, the maritime propulsion company, and ASEA Brown Boveri (ABB), the Swiss-Swedish power technology group, have signed an accord to reduce the carbon footprint and fuel costs and improve operational flexibility for liquified natural gas carriers.

ABB, the Swiss-Swedish power systems company, said its turbocharging unit had won a contract to equip parts of the new propulsion systems for six liquefied natural gas carrier newbuilds ordered by four companies.

ABB Turbocharging will deliver its A200-L turbocharger brand for the engines of the vessels.

The Zurich-based company said its low-pressure, dual-fuel engine offered environmental benefits at reduced capital cost.

Its A200-L turbochargers will be used on the engines being supplied by MAN Energy Solutions, the Denmark-based subsidiary of the German engine-maker.

The MAN 5G70ME-C10.5-GA engines will be installed in six 174,000 cubic metres capacity LNG carriers ordered by four different shipowners, Korea Line Corp. and PAN Ocean of South Korea, Knutsen OAS of Norway and JP Morgan, the US-based bank and investment firm.

The newbuilds will be the subject of long-term charter agreements with Royal Dutch Shell.

Offerings

ABB pointed out that the ME-GA is MAN’s first low-pressure, dual-fuel, two-stroke engine and sits alongside MAN’s well-established high-pressure M-Type Electronically Controlled-Gas Injection (ME-GI) engines.

The ME-GA, according to ABB and MAN, offers LNG carriers and other vessels an alternative way to cut greenhouse-gas emissions and minimize air pollution.

“Turbocharger performance is particularly important for dual-fuel engines. High turbocharging efficiency ensures that a high air-fuel ratio is maintained during high-load operations,” said ABB Turbocharging.

“The A100/A200-L series is ABB’s most advanced single-stage turbocharger technology for two-stroke engines, using the latest thermodynamic and aerodynamic expertise to pack the highest pressure ratios and efficiency currently available into a compact unit,” it added.

ABB explained that the small footprint also translated into a lower cost of ownership as spare parts are smaller and more economical and the turbocharger itself is easier to handle for servicing.

“When engine designers and makers want reliable high performance to support new engine technologies, they look to ABB turbochargers,” said Alexandros Karamitsos, Head of Global Sales Low-Speed Turbochargers, ABB.

“I am confident that shipowners will increasingly value our combination of technology leadership and global service coverage as incoming emission regulations encourage them to explore new fuels and engine concepts,” stated Karamitsos.

June 28 (LNGJ) - Swiss company Burckhardt Compression said its Laby-GI Compressors for the MAN Energy Solutions M-Type Electronically Controlled-Gas Injection (ME-GI) engines has passed the one million operating hours mark. “The Burckhardt Compression Laby®-GI fuel gas compressor systems play an important role on LNG carriers,” explained the Winterthur-based company.

   “As the liquified natural gas warms up during storage and transportation, the evaporated boil-off gas must be economically managed by either using it as fuel or re-liquefying it,” explained Burckhardt. “Both dual-fuel engines as well as re-liquefaction plants, require a certain operation pressure, ranging up to 300 bar. Therefore, Burckhardt Compression’s LNG solutions have been specifically designed to handle gases at low temperature and high pressure while meeting the requirements for operation at sea,” it added.

MAN Energy Solutions has won an order from German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd for engines with LNG-powered capability and equipment for six ultra-large container vessels to be built in South Korea.

Burckhardt Compression, the Swiss manufacturer of compressor systems and a service provider for LNG and other markets, has continued its global expansion by signing a final contract agreeing to acquire the 40 percent of Chinese company Shenyang Yuanda Compressor it didn’t already own.

The contract to own all of Shenyang Yuanda Compressor, based in Shenyang in the northeast Liaoning Province of China, was signed on January 25, 2021 and closing was expected in early February.

Burckhardt had announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding on buying the remaining shares back in September 2020 .

The company, based in Winterthur, central Switzerland, had owned 60 percent of Shenyang Yuanda Compressor since May 2016.

Burckhardt has been expanding in. the sector and had previously taken over US and Japanese companies. US subsidiary Arkos Field Services was fully acquired in November 2019.

Burckhardt also in April 2020 completed a deal to acquire the global compressor business of Japan Steel Works Ltd.

Shenyang Yuanda employs around 650 employees in China and generated sales of about 100 million Swiss francs ($112.6M) in 2019.

“Since the initial interest in Shenyang Yuanda Compressor, the company has expanded into more segments of the market, the product portfolio has been broadened to address a wider range of market needs, and Burckhardt has gained direct access to a well-established local supply chain,” said the company.

“Compressors manufactured by Shenyang Yuanda have been available in selected export markets through the international distribution and sales channels of Burckhardt since 2019,” it added.

Burckhardt offers a variety of compressor solutions for fuel gas compression that have been specifically designed for marine applications.

Its M-Type Electronically Controlled-Gas Injection (ME-GI) compressor systems are designed for boil-off gas management on LNG carriers equipped with MAN Energy Solutions ME-GI two-stroke engines.

Burckhardt also provides its Laby brand compressors for LNG carriers with X-DF propulsion systems and other marine compressors for vessels such as bunkering ships.

Swiss LNG equipment-maker Burckhardt Compression said its fiscal first-half closed with higher sales, increased operating income and a substantial year-on-year rise in net profits as the company acquired or agreed to buy three new units over the past year.

Burckhardt Compression, the Swiss manufacturer of compressor systems and a service provider for LNG and other markets, has continued its global expansion by agreeing to acquire the 40 percent of Chinese company Shenyang Yuanda Compressor it didn’t already own.

MAN Energy Solutions, the Denmark-based subsidiary of the German engine-maker, has won the order to supply the engines for a shuttle ferry newbuild for Tallink Grupp, the Estonian shipping company, and the vessel will have liquefied natural gas as a primary fuel.