MAN to carry out world's first container ship dual-fuel LNG retrofit

Time:2015-11-11 Browse:70 Author:RISINGSUN
GLOBAL provider of large-bore diesel engines and turbomachinery for marine and stationary applications MAN Diesel & Turbo SE (MAN) has inked an agreement with German-based Wessels Reederei GmbH & Co. KG (Wessels Reederei) for the dual fuel conversion of a 1,000 TEU container ship, the Wes Amelie - said to be the first such retrofit to be performed on a container.

Augsburg, Germany-based MAN said the completion of the retrofit will allow the Wes Amelie to reduce its sulfur oxide (SOx) emissions by more than 99 percent, nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by about 90 percent, and its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by as much as 20 percent, the shipandbunker.com reported.

"With each rebuild, we are creating an increasing demand for LNG as a clean fuel," said general manager at Wessels Reederei, Christian Hoepfner. "Only in this way - and not only through appeals - can the development of an LNG infrastructure continue to gain momentum."

MAN said the retrofit will commence sometime within 2016`s fourth quarter, with the vessel expected to be placed back into operation and capable of burning LNG bunkers by early December 2016.

"We are very excited about the signing of this contract and view its potential for broader adoption within the maritime sector as significant," said head of Upgrades & Retrofits for MAN`s PrimeServ Four-Stroke, Dr Thomas Spindler.

"We enjoy an excellent cooperation with Wessels and commend their willingness to adopt our dual-fuel technology."

In October, Jacob Hogh Thygesen, director merchant solutions for Wartsila Ship Design, said he believes the world`s feeder fleet is "the obvious candidate to lead the way to a dual-fuel future."