MAN to retrofit BW LPG’s dual-fuelled VLGCs

German engine maker will carry out “the world’s first” retrofitting of engines that will allow the ships to run on LPG and conventional fuel, according to MAN, as it aims to deal with the IMO 2020 bunker rules

News ID: 80193

Date: 05 September 2018 - 12:43

MAN sees great potential with the LPG carrier segment for further retrofits owing to environmental and economic benefits

MAN Energy Solutions has won a deal to retrofit at least four of BW LPG’s very large gas carriers with its new two-stroke, dual-fuelled engines allowing the ships to run on both liquefied petroleum gas and conventional bunker fuels.

The deal marks the world’s first retrofitting of four MAN B&W 6G60ME-C9.2 high-sulphur-fuel-burning engines into 6G60ME-C9.5-LGIP LPG-propelled dual-fuelled engines, according to a company statement.

Last week, Oslo-listed BW LPG announced it had signed retrofitting orders for those vessels to make them the world’s first dual-fuelled vessels that can be powered by LPG, but it did not identify the engine supplier.

“The arrival of this order is a sign of how timely the technology is,” MAN’s chief sales officer Wayne Jones said. “We expected a strong demand for the engine from very large gas carriers and it has proven to be so.”

The first retrofittings will take place in conjunction with scheduled dry dockings in 2020, when the International Maritime Organization’s new sulphur rules will take effect.

Michael Petersen, vice-president of MAN’s after-sales division in Copenhagen, said the German engine maker sees great potential with the liquefied petroleum gas carrier sector for further retrofits within its sizable fleet.

“The retrofits will benefit the BW LPG vessels both economically and environmentally by giving it access to sulphur-compliant fuel through using the LPG cargo they carry, which has favourable price levels compared with high sulphur fuel oil,” Mr Petersen said.

“The cleaner emissions the retrofitted vessels will experience will also be significant, while the growing LPG infrastructure globally will facilitate bunkering.”