Hartmann welcomes 1st dual-fuel 5,000 cbm LPG carrier

German shipping company Hartmann Reederei has taken delivery of GasChem Homer, the first in a series of three 5,000 cbm LPG carriers being built in China.

As informed, the newbuild was delivered to its owner from Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering shipyard on 6 December 2021.

The design of the vessel is based on the ECOSTAR 36k series (GasChem Beluga) by Hartmann Reederei together with HB Hunte Engineering.

Specifically, GasChem Homer has been designed with a focus on eco-friendliness and reducing the carbon footprint significantly. The vessel meets all requirements of the EEDI for the year 2025. GasChem Homer is fitted with a MAN 5S35 ME-LGIP dual-fuel main engine that operates on LPG and MGO. On LPG mode, the vessel saves about 8% of fuel compared to MGO, leading to an emissions reduction of 20%.

“With our ECOSTAR 36k series, we have gained more than 100,000 running hours of experience operating on dual-fuel/gas main engines since 2016,” Ulrich Adami, Managing Director Technical of Hartmann Reederei, commented.

“The experience was very challenging in the beginning, but within short time the propulsion on cleaner fuel became normal, saving emissions and, as a bonus, saving additional bunker calls for the charterer.”

“For the new 5,000 cbm vessels, we have chosen a two-stroke engine that does not require a gearbox but acts directly on the shaft and propeller without additional energy loss. Together with the charterer, the decision was taken to set the focus on environmental aspects – and consequently ban heavy fuel oil from the vessel.”

Featuring “ideal” hull lines in combination with increased rudder/propeller efficiency and using a shaft generator at sea, the new design leads to significant CO2 savings amounting to more than 20% compared to conventional vessels of similar size, according to Hartmann.

Further emission reductions comprise 95% NOX, 100% SOX and 95% particulate matter.

One cylindrical independent type C and one bi-lobe independent type C tank utilise the available cargo space to the optimum. A further cylindrical independent type C gas-fuel tank on deck completes the LPG storage system. Hence, transporting more cargo with significantly less energy at the same hull dimensions leads to additional emissions reduction.

GasChem Homer will enter into a long-term employment with Origin Energy Australia, where the vessel’s eco-friendliness and emission reductions are aligned to Origin’s strategy of decarbonisation and dedication to accelerate corporate action on climate change.

Delivery of the second and third vessel of the series, GasChem Iliad and GasChem Odyssey, is scheduled for the beginning of 2022 and in spring 2022 respectively. They will join GasChem Homer in serving Origin Energy.

The technical management of all three vessels will be with Hartmann Reederei and the commercial management with GasChem Services.

Hartmann Reederei, which has a fleet of about 40 gas carriers, also ordered three 40,000 cbm LPG carriers earlier this year from Jiangsu Yangzi-Mitsui Shipbuilding Company. The midsize gas carrier (MGC) trio is slated for delivery in 2023.