ME-GI engines for Hapag-Lloyd ULCS newbuilds
The 6 × MAN B&W 11G95ME-GI Mk10.5 main engines will be built in Korea and will offer the option of operating on LNG or conventional fuel, meeting Tier III emission standards through SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction). The first engine delivery is scheduled for May 2022. The vessels are expected to be delivered from DSME between April and December 2023.
In December 2020, Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd commented on the order: “With the investment in six ultra large container vessels we will not only be able to reduce slot costs and improve our competitiveness on the Europe – Far East trade, but also take a significant step forward in modernising our fleet. Additionally we will further reduce our environmental impact.”
The newbuildings will be deployed on the Europe–Far East routes as part of THE Alliance and will significantly increase Hapag-Lloyd´s competitiveness in this trade. The engines will operate on LNG, but have sufficient tank capacity to operate alternatively on conventional fuel.
Bjarne Foldager, Senior Vice President and Head of Two-Stroke Business at MAN Energy Solutions, said: “These newbuildings will be fitted with mature ME-GI technology that continues to accumulate references across multiple segments. The engines’ fuel-efficiency and negligible methane-slip tie in perfectly with Hapag-Lloyd’s strategy of sustainability. As we move towards a zero-carbon future, the ME-GI showcases our dual-fuel engine portfolio that is future-proofed to handle whatever alternative fuels come to prominence in the decades ahead.”
The new business follows a series of recent ME-GI sales with 5 × 6G70ME-GI Mk 10.5 dual-fuel engines ordered in October 2020 for 5 × Newcastlemax bulkcarriers for EPS, the Singapore-based shipping company. The previous month, Guangzhou Shipyard International Co., Ltd. (GSI) ordered 2 × 6G60ME-GI Mk 10.5 dual-fuel engines for 2 × LR2 tankers for Hafnia, one of the world’s leading, oil-product tanker owners and operators.
MAN Energy Solutions states that its low-speed, dual-fuel references now exceed 360 units, with the ME-GI recording over 1.5 million operating hours on LNG alone.
