MAN Diesel & Turbo’s first G50 ethane-fuelled two stroke engine for the 36,000m3 liquefied ethane gas carrier, which is under construction, has passed the type approval test.
MAN Diesel & Turbo’s G50 Engine has successfully passed the type approval test held at MAN licensee Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co in Japan. The engine is destined for the world’s first ethane-fuelled eco-friendly LEG (Liquefied Ethane Gas) carrier – the first of three such vessels to be built in China by SinoPacific Shipyard for the German shipowner, Hartmann Reederei.
In tests overseen by DNV GL, the G50 ME-C9 engine was run on MGO, with the gas system also subjected to function and pressure testing. The first test and operation on ethane gas will take place after loading in Texas aboard the 36,000 m3 LEG carrier once ethane gas has been bunkered, after which the engine will officially be named a 7G50ME-GIE (Gas Injection Ethane) type.
Also, the TAT success news follows the announcement by a JACCAR/Hartmann Reederei joint venture that has ordered another 5 × 85,000 m3 ‘Eco Star 85K’ Very Large Ethane Carriers (VLECs) with each vessel to be powered by a single MAN B&W 6G60ME-GIE main engine. In addition these latest 5 vessels will be IMO Tier III NOx compliant through the use of MDT’s proprietary EGR, Exhaust Gas Recirculation System.
With this latest order, the total of ethane-burning ME-GIE engines on order with MAN Diesel & Turbo to eight with, the company reports, more in the pipeline.
Source: MAN Group
