Dual-Fuel MAN Engines To Power Bulkers

MAN Energy Solutions will supply five 6G70ME-GI Mk 10.5 dual-fuel engines for five Newcastlemax bulkcarriers.

Singapore-based EPS has a five-year contract to operate the five LNG dual-fuel 210 000 dwt Newcastlemaxes for Australian mining giant BHP. The vessels are scheduled for delivery during 2022 and will carry iron ore between Western Australia and China.

“This deal also sends a clear signal to the industry that progressive companies, like BHP, have viable options to lower their carbon footprint today,” said Cyril Ducau, CEO of EPS. “When these vessels deliver in 2022, they will be the cleanest and the most efficient in the entire dry bulk shipping fleet and will be IMO 2030 compliant eight years ahead of schedule.”

Thomas S. Hansen, head of Promotion and Customer Support, MAN Energy Solutions, said these Newcastlemax bulkers are the first dual-fuel vessels of their size and show the capability of MAN’s engine technology.

“It also shows that the bulk segment—as well as the tramp trade—is keenly aware of the need to deal with greenhouse gases, and the inherent potential of alternative fuels. Our recent Hafnia order is another example of this trend,” Hansen said.

The Hafnia reference stems from an order Guangzhou Shipyard International Co., Ltd. (GSI) placed in September for two 6G60ME-GI Mk 10.5 dual-fuel engines to power two LR2 tankers for Hafnia, one of the world’s leading oil-product tanker owners and operators. An option for a further two vessels exists in the contract. French hydrocarbon major Total has already agreed to charter the vessels, marking its first encounter with ME-GI engines.

“It’s encouraging that major market players are giving such consideration to the environment,” Hansen said. “In this respect, the ME-GI engine’s negligible methane slip is a significant advantage. The ME-GI is mature technology that continues to accumulate references in multiple segments.”

MAN Energy Solutions states that its low-speed, dual-fuel references now exceed 333 units, with the ME-GI recording over 1.5 million operating hours on LNG alone.