MAN engines for ConRo ships
Crowley has placed an order for two ConRo ships, each of which will be powered by a MAN B&W 8S70ME-C8.2-GI main engine and 3 × MAN 9L28/32DF auxiliary engines. The ConRo ships will be built by VT Halter Marine Inc., and will be named ‘El Coquí’ and ‘Taíno’. The vessels are scheduled for delivery in Q2 and Q4 2017, respectively.
The vessels will be two of the world’s first LNG-powered ConRo ships, designed to travel at speeds up to 22 knots. According to Crowley, the vessels will offer customers fast ocean-transit times and, thanks to being powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), will set a new standard for environmentally responsible shipping.
Alternative fuel
Company CEO, Tom Crowley, commented: “Our investment in these new ships – the first of their kind in the world – is significant […] we are developing and using best-available technology that allows for improved emissions and alternative fuel selection”.
Crowley selected the high-pressure, diesel-cycle ME-GI engines due to their high efficiency and power concentration. The ME-GI’s ability to avoid derating, as well as its negligible methane slip, also contributed to its selection.
The new ConRo ships will be 219.5 m long, 32.3 m wide, have a deep draught of 10 m, and an approximate deadweight capacity of 26 500 metric t. Cargo capacity will be approximately 2400 teu, with additional space for nearly 400 vehicles.
According to Crowley, the new vessels will reduce the amount of CO2 emissions attributable to each container by approximately 38%. Additionally, the ships will meet or exceed all regulatory requirements and have the CLEAN notation, which requires limitation of operational emissions and discharges, as well as the Green Passport, both issued by classification society DNV.
The ME-GI engine
The ME-GI engine gives shipowners and operators the option of using fuel or gas depending on relative price and availability, as well as environmental considerations. There is also a ME-LGI counterpart that uses liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), methanol and other liquid gases.
Research shows that the ME-GI engine delivers significant reductions in CO2, NOx and SOx emissions. Additionally, the ME-GI engine has negligible methane slip and is therefore the most environmentally friendly technology available.
Adapted from press release by Katie Woodward
Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/liquid-natural-gas/10012014/conro_ships_select_engine_26/
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