Nine 9,000 TEU container vessels being built for South Korean shipping company HMM will be powered by MAN B&W G80ME-LGIM dual-fuel engines. Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries has ordered seven of the engines, while HJ Shipbuilding & Construction have ordered two.
The MAN engines are capable of operating on green methanol and also conventional fuel-oil. The nine orders are the first for the G80 bore size. The maritime powertrains will also feature MAN Energy Solutions’ own exhaust gas recirculation systems.
The new-builds are scheduled to be delivered to HMM from 2025 onward and will be used on routes between North and South America and India. Upon delivery, the G80 engines will be connectivity-ready and prepared for digital services.
“This world-first order for a G80 methanol engine is just a continuation of the general market trend toward methanol where the ME-LGIM engine has become the de facto industry standard for large, methanol-fueled, merchant marine vessels,” said Bjarne Foldager, senior vice president and head of low-speed, MAN Energy Solutions. “At MAN Energy Solutions, we expect further projects for this size of container vessel to be specified with our G80 methanol engine within the near future. As such, methanol is quickly becoming the most prominent alternative fuel in the container vessel segment.”
“Our thanks for this significant order go to HMM, whose commitment and partnership we value greatly,” commented Thomas Hansen, head of promotion and customer support, MAN Energy Solutions. “This new order means that we now have over 100 ME-LGIM engines on order or in service. In our open project pipeline, container vessels make up around 61%, followed by both tankers and bulk carriers with 17%, and general cargo making up the remaining 5%. MAN Energy Solutions’ methanol engines are a proven concept that combine well with methanol’s unique selling points as a fuel that include its easy storage, simple auxiliary systems, and not to forget that green methanol is entirely carbon neutral.”
In addition to the engine orders, HMM has signed MOUs with several fuel suppliers to ensure the vessels have a steady supply of methanol.