Tsuneishi taps MAN ES to provide methanol-fueled engine for bulk carrier

February 14, 2023, by Fatima Bahtić

MAN Energy Solutions (MAN ES), through its licensee Mitsui E&S Machinery, has signed a contract with Japanese shipbuilder Tsuneishi Shipbuilding to provide a methanol-powered engine for a 65,700 dwt bulk carrier.

As informed, the company will provide its MAN B&W 6G50ME-LGIM engine. The vessel represents the latest methanol-fuelled engine ordered by the bulk-carrier segment in recent weeks.

MAN Energy Solutions developed the ME-LGIM dual-fuel engine for operation on methanol, as well as conventional fuel.

The engine is based on the company’s ME-series, with its approximately 8,500 engines in service, and works according to the diesel principle. When operating on green methanol, the engine offers carbon-neutral propulsion for large merchant-marine vessels.

“For TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING, which is striving to build methanol-fuelled ships with the aim of becoming a front-runner in next-generation-fuelled ships, securing a high-value-added engine through this contract is an extremely important step. We will continue to focus on technological innovation together with engine manufacturers in order to provide our customers with zero-emission ships that are both environmentally friendly and economical,” Sachio Okumura, Representative Director and President & Executive Officer of Tsuneishi Shipbuilding, said.

“We have a track record of manufacturing dual-fuel engines such as LNG-fired engines, and in 2015 delivered the world’s first methanol engine as the main engine for a methanol carrier. Taking advantage of this adoption for bulk carriers, we will continue to meet the various needs of our customers, provide engines that are environmentally friendly and economical, and contribute to the realization of a decarbonised society,” Ichiro Tanaka, President and Representative Director of Mitsui E&S Machinery, commented.

As a fuel, methanol can be carbon-neutral when produced from renewable energy sources and bio-genic CO₂.

The production capacity of such green methanol is currently increasing significantly; it is also liquid at ambient conditions, which simplifies tank design and minimises costs.

MAN Energy Solutions reports that its methanol engine requires a fuel-supply pressure of just 13 bar and that a number of manufacturers already offer such fuel-supply systems today.

“In a market that has seen a rapidly increasing demand for decarbonised transport from its major players, the interest in methanol as a fuel has surged and – at this moment in time – represents more than 30% of all our current, open pipeline projects across a broad range of vessel segments. As such, seeing bulk carriers now also entering this fuel segment is completely in line with our expectations and these newbuildings will benefit greatly from the option to operate either on methanol or conventional fuel with equally high fuel efficiency,” Bjarne Foldager, Senior Vice President and Head of Low-Speed, MAN Energy Solutions, said.

In 2021, MAN ES revealed it is working on upgrading its four-stroke engines to run on green future fuels, including methanol and ammonia.

“In 2022, we will offer engines that are designed for later conversion – if required – to methanol operation. From 2024, we will make solutions for the use of methanol in four-stroke engines available,” the firm noted.

The new engines are expected to reduce harmful emissions and meet future, stricter environmental requirements and regulations, according to the company.