MAN: Otto-cycle engine takes important step towards ship delivery

MAN Energy Solutions said the first ME-GA engine has completed gas trials aboard an LNG carrier built by Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries (HSHI) for Norwegian shipping company, Knutsen OAS Shipping.

“This successful gas trial is a very important milestone in the development of the ME-GA engine,” said Bjarne Foldager, Head of Two-Stroke Business, MAN Energy Solutions. “We developed this engine for easy application to most contemporary LNG carrier designs and, indeed, all ME-GA orders to date have been exclusively for this segment.”

Built by HHI-EMD, the Knutsen ME-GA design concept is the premixed Otto principle, and the efficient performance of the engine is the result of an in-house developed exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) solution. The high-pressure EGR solution has been optimised for the ME-GA engine with performance-enhancing results, which include high-performance efficiency, significantly reduced methane slip, and Tier III compliance when operating on conventional fuel oils. Moreover, the development of the ME-GA engine solution, which requires only a low-pressure fuel supply, has been performed with focus on reducing capex for the LNG carrier segment.

Thomas S. Hansen, Head of Promotion and Customer Support, MAN Energy Solutions, said the company has had more than 260 orders for the ME-GA since its launch in May 2021 and its orderbook contains ME-GA engine orders for ship deliveries stretching all the way into 2027.

“EGR as standard enables the ME-GA to significantly reduce emissions, while simultaneously improving fuel efficiency and operation in both gas and fuel-oil operation,” Hansen said.

The MAN B&W ME-GA engine delivers a low CAPEX solution aimed at LNG carriers that are able to use ‘boil-off’ gas as a source of fuel, the company said.

Based on the MAN B&W dual-fuel design with minimal installation requirements, the MAN B&W ME-GA uses an efficient ignition concept and unique gas-admission system that delivers safe and reliable operation.

The ME-GA furthermore features minimal operational costs, simple supply and purging concepts, and low maintenance costs for its fuel-gas supply system. It joins the ME-GI Diesel-cycle engine in MAN Energy Solutions’ two-stroke-engine portfolio, which now offers both low- and high-pressure, dual-fuel solutions for operation on LNG.

“It’s been very pleasing to follow the steady progress of the ME-GA engine ever since we began its development back in 2018,” said Brian Østergaard Sørensen, Vice President and Head of R&D, Two-Stroke Business at MAN Energy Solutions. “Following its Factory Acceptance Test, Type Approval Test and first shipyard delivery, this completion of sea- and gas-trials marks another significant step in its timeline as it approaches its commercial debut.”