Mitsui E&S Machinery, a licensee of MAN Energy Solutions, has won a contract to supply the individual MAN B&W 6G50ME-LGIM (Liquid Gas Injection Methanol) engine for a bulk carrier set to be built by Tsuneishi Shipbuilding.
The ME-LGIM dual-fuel engine –based on the company’s proven ME-series – is capable of operating on methanol and conventional fuel. At present there are approximately 8,500 of the engines in service, and when operating on green methanol, the ME-LGIM can deliver carbon-neutral propulsion.
The ME-LGI engine was developed by MAN as a response to the industry trying to find cleaner alternatives to engines operating on fuel oil in order to reach decarbonization targets. A multitude of methanol carriers have been operating using the ME-LGIM, which is said to deliver great reliability and high fuel-efficiency.
“In a market that has seen a rapidly increasing demand for decarbonized transport from its major players, the interest in methanol as a fuel has surged and – at this moment in time – represents more than 30% of all our current, open pipeline projects across a broad range of vessel segments,” said Bjarne Foldager, senior vice president and head of low-speed, MAN Energy Solutions.
“As such, seeing bulk carriers now also entering this fuel segment is completely in line with our expectations and these new-builds will benefit greatly from the option to operate either on methanol or conventional fuel with equally high fuel efficiency.”
“With more than 20 engines installed in vessels already on the water and in excess of 200,000 operational hours on methanol since the first such engine entered service in 2016, provides an already proven and mature technology,” said Peter Quaade, head of dual-fuel engine group, two-stroke operations, MAN Energy Solutions.