GE, DSIC develop gas turbine conversion for LNG carriers

GE’s Marine Solutions and Dalian Shipbuilding Industry (DSIC) completed a preliminary design for the conversion of a steam turbine powered LNG carrier to a gas turbine-based propulsion system.

The study aims steam-powered LNG carriers that offer low fuel efficiency but are not ready to be retired from service, GE’s statement reads.

The new design will feature GE’s COmbined Gas turbine, Electric and Steam (COGES) system.

GE’s Brien Bolsinger, vice president, marine operations, Evendale, Ohio, USA, said, “This feasibility study provides ship owners a competitive retrofit solution for 10 to 15 year-old steam-powered LNG carriers.”

According to Yingbin Ma, DSIC deputy technical director, “a gas turbine’s smaller footprint allows for the minimum necessary conversion work required by the shipyard. By converting to a COGES power system, the fuel efficiency of the ship will be improved by 30.”

This allows ship owners to increase the charter rate and win back opportunities in a market dominated by dual-fuel diesel engines.

This study is based on a 138,000 cubic meter LNG carrier powered by a steam turbine, but it can be applied on other similar size ships, Ma said.