Sumitomo Heavy Industries wins AIP for medium-size LNG dual-fueled tanker

Sumitomo Heavy Industries Marine & Engineering Co., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Heavy Industries, was granted an Approval in Principle (AiP) from Lloyd’s Register for a medium-size tanker equipped with a high-pressure LNG dual-fuel system.

High-pressure LNG that has been pressurized to approximately 300 bar will be supplied to this main engine through an LNG pump and vaporizer.

The shipbuilder said that a ME-GI type main engine designed by MAN Energy & Solutions will be installed on the vessel, enabling the vessel to save fuel.

Furthermore, the engine has the capacity to substantially reduce the methane slip, which tends to be emitted into the atmosphere from dual-fuel engines.

As such, Sumitomo said that the vessel can substantially reduce the amount of sulfur oxide (SOx), nitrogen oxide (NOx) and carbon dioxide (CO2) contained in the engine exhaust gas by using LNG as primary fuel.

The tanker will far exceed the level of Phase 3 of the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), which will be mandatory to ships deployed in the international trade.

“We are committed to doing our part in realizing a sustainable shipping industry. Accordingly, we will continue meeting social demands by fully utilizing our technical and developmental capabilities,” Sumitomo said.

“And we will remain focused on supplying our customers with environment-friendly ships with a greatly reduced environmental footprint in all areas, including greenhouse gases.”