Sea trial for CMA CGM dual-fuel ULCS

The CMA CGM Jacques Saade is the first of a series of nine ultra large container vessels. The vessels feature 12-cylinder, 920mm bore dual-fuel engines with a maximum power of 63,840kW at 80rpm.

As reported, the engines are the largest low-speed Otto-cycle engines in the world. Each engine weighs 2,140t. The design team responded to the larger bore size by driving iterative improvements within the engine. The engine designer raised firing pressures and implemented a two-piston ring solution, for instance.

Similar technical innovations were seen in both the overall vessel design, and in the LNG containment system, where the size of the tanks raised a number of technical challenges. The delivery of the ship is also noteworthy as it also represented the first time Hudong Zhonghua has manufactured MARK III membrane tanks.